Sirius Black: The Lion Revealed
by SolidSnake'sLover
Summary: Year One sequel to Erroneous Heir. Pure-blood separatists at school and at home juxtaposed with his newfound friends cause Sirius to learn more about himself. Rated M for language, violence, and sexual situations.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

King's Cross Station in all its effervescent bustling reflected the feeling in Sirius' chest. At last, at long last, the day had arrived. Two weeks of strict confinement to his room, only being let out for meals, had infused in Sirius a singular obsession: this moment of arrival at Platform Nine and Three Quarters. The wrought iron archway seemed to glow like a beacon of hope.

The party consisted of his mother, Andromeda, Narcissa and Regulus. Andromeda and Narcissa immediately went their own ways after bidding a formal goodbye to Walburga. His mother looked extremely uncomfortable in the presence of the general public. Before they had passed through to the platform, she had walked as though with tunnel vision, blocking out the Muggles around her. Being among witches and wizards was an improvement to her, but she gazed warily in all directions, making sure not to touch anything or anyone.

Regulus was looking miserable. He saw the reflections of socializing children in his brother's eyes and knew what he was thinking. He could feel the tether between them stretching. Sirius had already phased into his new world in his mind's eye. Regulus didn't want to let go.

"Sirius," he whispered, in an attempt that he already knew was futile to keep his brother _just_ a little bit longer.

With great difficulty, Sirius tore his attention away from the scene to look at Regulus. Though only a year and a half apart, he was already significantly taller. He put his hands on Regulus' shoulders. "This isn't forever you know," he said, to which Regulus looked even more distraught. Sirius pulled him in for a hug. "It's only for a year," he whispered. "Before you know it, you'll be here with me!" He smiled, then turned and ran for the train before his mother could give him any of her usual warnings.

He strolled down the aisle slowly, looking inside each compartment as he went. He passed a group of older students comparing stories from the World Cup. Further on, he passed Andromeda with her group of friends. She smiled and waved when she saw him.

With a jolt, the train started to move and he found a compartment with boys who looked to be close to his age. One boy was chatting animatedly to the other two boys. Sirius chose the opposite side without asking whether the seat was available or not.

The talkative boy paused. He grinned at Sirius. "I'm James Potter," he said. "Who are you?"

"Sirius Black," Sirius said, appreciating James' lack of formality. "And you two?" he nodded to the other boys, who were red haired and clearly twins.

"Gideon and Fabian Prewett," they said in unison.

"We're third years," one said.

"Little James here is starting his first," said the other. He ruffled James' already messy black hair. James playfully swatted his hands away. "Clearly, you are as well."

Sirius nodded and lounged back across the seat, putting his hands behind his head and his feet on the wall.

"Groovy," the first twin said.

"I may be starting my first year," James said, puffing out his chest, "but I have the skills of a seventh year."

"James likes to talk big–" one twin said.

"–for someone so small," finished the other.

"Oh really," Sirius challenged with a lopsided smile. "What spells do you know?"

James took his wand from his pocket. " _Ducklifors_!" he said, pointing it at Sirius.

For a brief moment, Sirius was a duck.

One of the twins returned him to his natural state and Sirius joined in their laughter. James bowed.

Sirius waved his wand at James and said, " _Anteoculatia_!" James' messy dark hair disappeared and was replaced with antlers.

The boys roared with laughter. "It's a good look for you," Sirius said as the laughter died down and James' hair was returned to him.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," a voice carried over from the far corner of the compartment. There were two occupants Sirius had not noticed: a thin, dirty haired boy and a pretty, redheaded girl with green eyes, who looked as though she'd been crying. James turned, also seemingly taken by surprise that there were other people present.

"Who wants to be in Slytherin?" James asked Sirius. "I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

Sirius contained his surprise. The way his relatives talked about it, he wasn't aware that there was anyone who didn't want to be in Slytherin. Even Andromeda was proud to represent her House. "My whole family have been in Slytherin," he said.

"Blimey," said James, "and I thought you seemed alright!"

Sirius grinned. "Maybe I'll break the tradition," he said. He briefly imagined the pleasure of not seeing his family's friends every day for the next seven years. "Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

James lifted an invisible sword. "'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad."

The dirty haired boy snorted.

"Got a problem with that?" James said, puffing his chest out again.

"No," said the boy with a sneer, "if you'd rather be brawny than brainy–"

"Where are you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" Sirius interjected.

James doubled over with laughter. The crying girl stood up, shooting them both angry looks. "Come on Severus," she said. "Let's find another compartment."

"Ooooo! Let's find another compartment!" Sirius and James mimicked her tone together, laughing. James tried to trip Severus as they passed.

"See ya, Snivellus!" one of the twins called. The compartment shook with the laughter of all four boys.

"Well we'd best be going," said the other twin after a moment. "Mundugus Fletcher – he's another third year – claims he's brought firewhiskey on board, and we've simply got to know whether or not that's true."

They stood up and said simultaneously, "Bye James, bye Sirius!" and exited.

James tossed Sirius a Chocolate Frog. "So do your parents expect you to be in Slytherin?" he asked.

Sirius frowned. He was hoping the subject would be dropped. "There has never been another option in their minds," he said. "If it wasn't for my cousin Andromeda, I wouldn't even have known that there _were_ other Houses." He sighed. "I came here to get away from my family. If I have to be stuck with them and their friends for the next seven years I might as well just leap off this train now. They don't approve of me and I'm not terribly fond of them."

"Well if it helps, you don't seem like a Slytherin," James said bracingly.

Sirius gave a half smile and popped the Chocolate Frog into his mouth. "Have you got a broomstick back home?" he asked.

"Of course I do!" James said, sitting up straighter. "A Cleansweep Six. Do you?"

"I have the same! It's a shame that first years aren't allowed to bring their own brooms."

"Utterly moronic," James agreed. "How am I supposed to show off my moves on a dilapidated school broom? You know we're supposed to take flying lessons, right?"

Sirius laughed. "I don't need flying lessons!" he said. "I've been flying since I was two! I've fallen off my broom so many times that they should name the Bone Healing Spell after me."

"I bet I've fallen from a greater height than you," James challenged.

"I doubt that. I bet you cry for your mum when you fall out of bed."

"You know nothing of my endurance," James said. "When we get to school I'll prove it to you."

"Alright then," Sirius said, crossing his arms. "We shall see."

"Who is your favorite Quidditch team?" James asked through a mouthful of Pumpkin Pasty.

Sirius smiled dreamily. "I'm partial to the Holyhead Harpies. Aside from their obvious skill, they are a gorgeous group of ladies. I'd let Gwendolyn Morgan concuss me with her broomstick any day."

James choked on a Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean.

They continued to discuss Quidditch teams and the World Cup that Sirius missed out on until the sunlight began to fade and they decided to change into their school robes.

There was an unspoken excitement between them. The train began to slow down and a quiet fell upon the two boys. They eyed each other, each silently daring the other to voice his nervousness.

Prefects were moving up and down the aisle, trying to keep order. Sirius thought that looked like a futile task. The train stopped and they filed out, Sirius following James to the exit.

There were carriages nearby, but to their left they heard a voice saying, "Firs' years this way, firs' years – move on, Fabian, I'm not takin' yer over the lake again – firs' years over here!"

The voice was coming from the largest man Sirius had ever seen. Looking up, James stopped in his tracks and Sirius walked right into him. "Who are you?" James asked.

"Name's Rubeus Hagrid," the man said. "I'm the one taking yeh up ter the castle. Everyone here? Alrigh', follow me." He waved them on and strode off. Though he was walking, his stride was so long that each student had to run just to keep up with him. The field through which they were running was wet with dew and they were slipping and sliding. Everyone fell at least once in their haste to keep up with Hagrid.

They came to a dock that overlooked a massive black lake. There were a dozen or so boats lined up around the area. Directly in front of the lake was their first view of Hogwarts. Sirius had heard all about it from his cousins, but nothing compared to seeing the real thing. Others around him gasped at the sight.

"See that, James?" he said, pointing to one of the towers. "If you want to prove your falling skills to me, you'll have no problem jumping right off that tower."

"Oh, I could do that with my wand arm behind my back," James said.

Hagrid corralled them. "On ter the boats now," he said. "Four of yeh ter a boat."

James and Sirius sat on one together and were joined by a girl who introduced herself to them as Marlene McKinnon and a boy named Evan Rosier. Sirius recognized Rosier as one of his family's friends and did not greet him.

"FORWARD!" Hagrid ordered the boats.

"Sirius," Rosier said importantly. "I didn't see you on the train. Bellatrix wanted me to make sure you made friends with the right people."

"Bellatrix doesn't decide for me who my friends are," Sirius said coldly. He turned to James. "What do you reckon lives in this lake?"

"Haven't a clue," said James, who seemed to be on board with acting as though Rosier was not present. "What have you got in mind?"

Sirius stood up and began rocking the boat back and forth.

"What are you doing?" demanded Marlene, who looked green. "I don't like this, I don't like water!"

"What sort of childish behavior is this?" said Rosier. "Stop this right now!"

James stood up and together they stood on one side of the boat, unbalanced it, and plunged all four of them into the lake.

Sirius was submerged completely, but bobbed right back to the top, laughing. The water was ice cold. Marlene was screaming as though she was being murdered. Rosier was sputtering with rage.

Hagrid had brought his boat back around. He grabbed Marlene by the back of her robes and returned her to the boat. He picked up Rosier and put him in a different boat with three other boys.

James and Sirius were treading water, but they had no chance of getting back into the boat without outside assistance. Other students were watching; half of them were laughing and half seemed to be terrified for their safety.

"This isn't s-s-s-s-so b-bad! You can leave us here all night if you like!" Sirius said to Hagrid, who was trying to make his way over to the two boys. Sirius was doggy paddling; the cold was beginning to battle his body and make his limbs slow and weak.

Unexpectedly, Sirius began to experience the sensation of something very soft, but powerful winding its way up his leg. Simultaneously, he and James were lifted out of the water. A giant squid had coiled around their bodies and they soared through the air upside down.

"Ooohoooo!" they hooted and hollered, both enjoying the attention and thrill. The tendrils loosened, the suckers detached with a _pop!_ and the squid returned them to their seats in the boat.

"What a rush!" Sirius said.

"We should do that again sometime," James agreed.

"I hate both of you," Marlene said bitterly. "We had better not be in the same House."

Sirius grinned and gave her a thumbs up.

"Alrigh', that's enough," Hagrid said. "Let's get yeh inside ter the Sorting." They had reached the other side of the lake. They climbed out onto the pebbly shore and up the steep bank to the castle. They reached a set of oak doors and Hagrid knocked sharply.

A witch with her hair in a tight bun answered the door. "Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "I am Professor McGonagall. The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be Sorted into your Houses." She ushered them in to an inner corridor. "Wait here." She turned to Hagrid. "You are much later than usual. What happened?"

Hagrid jerked a thumb at James and Sirius. "Them two decided ter be funny," he said grimly, though Sirius could see a smile in his eyes.

Professor McGonagall noted the four students who were dripping wet with a raised eyebrow. "You should know this sort of behavior will not be tolerated in my classroom," she said to James and Sirius sternly.

"Of course, Professor!" Sirius said brightly. "I don't foresee us running into this problem in your classroom unless there happens to be a lake under my desk."

"Even then, as long as there is a giant squid present, we should come out alright!" James said.

McGonagall let out a long-suffering sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. She shook her head. "Let us get on with the Sorting," she said.

She led them out to the Great Hall, where tables for each House sat full of students who faced the first years. Above them, the ceiling was a reflection of the night sky outside. Thousands of candles floated, illuminating faces, some of whom Sirius identified at the far Slytherin table. Before them was the staff table. Sirius recognized Professor Dumbledore from his Chocolate Frog card.

Professor McGonagall placed a patchwork hat onto a four-legged stool in the center of the Great Hall. The hat was enchanted with a spell that made it sing about the four Houses, but Sirius wasn't paying attention. Between leaving puddles of lake water on the floor with every step he took, feeling colder than he'd ever felt in his life, and experiencing a mild state of panic over the possibility that he either would or would not be Sorted into Slytherin, he couldn't find time to care about a singing hat. Shivering, he was thankful that at least his last name was near the beginning of the alphabet.

"Akins, Andrew!" Professor McGonagall called out from her scroll of parchment.

A boy with short swept black hair stepped nervously up to the hat and put it over his head.

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat shouted within a few seconds. Applause broke out, particularly at the table beside the Slytherins. The boy ran over and sat down, apparently eager not to be the center of attention.

"Aubrey, Bertram!"

"RAVENCLAW!" More applause came from the Ravenclaw table. Sirius was keen to act as though his shivering was only due to the cold and not nerves.

"Black, Sirius!"

He strolled to the stool with his head high, pretending as though he hadn't a care in the world. He sat down and lowered the hat onto his head. The hat immediately fell far past his ears.

"Oh my," the hat spoke into his head. "This is unexpected. You are a Black, but you are no Slytherin. Oh no, my boy, you are one of a kind."

Sirius' heart was pumping fast. "You're certain I'm not a Slytherin?" he asked it, hating his childish insecurity but needing to ask anyway. "My mother will never forgive me if I'm not in Slytherin."

"Of course I'm certain!" the hat said. "Never fear, Sirius, for what you have lost with your mother, you will experience ten-fold with your new friends."

" _Friends?_ " Sirius whispered.

"Now if you don't mind, I've got a Sorting to finish. GRYFFINDOR!"

"YES!" James' voice rang out over all the applause in the room. He was jumping up and down, cheering Sirius on. Sirius grinned. As he set off for the table at the end, he hardly noticed the silence from the Slytherin table on the opposite side of the Hall. He had already made a friend, who cared what his mother thought?

He paid little attention as two more Ravenclaws and three Hufflepuffs were Sorted. When "Evans, Lily" was Sorted into Gryffindor, he slid down the bench to make room for her. They locked eyes and he realized she was the crying girl from the train. She crossed her arms and turned away from him.

"Fawley, Alexis," became a Gryffindor as well and sat on Lily's other side. "Greengrass, Florence," became the first Slytherin and the other end of the hall erupted with cheer. "Gudgeon, Gladys," was declared a Hufflepuff.

"Lupin, Remus!" Sirius looked up and recognized the face of the boy he'd briefly met at the Quidditch Cup. After two minutes, the hat declared "GRYFFINDOR!" and Sirius waved the boy down. When he nudged Lily over with his hip to make room for Remus, she gave him an affronted look.

"Now you'll have no excuse not to play your flute for me," he whispered and Remus chuckled. They watched as Marlene, who was also still soaking wet, was Sorted into Gryffindor. She sat across from Lily and stuck her tongue out at Sirius.

"Pettigrew, Peter!" A plump, blonde boy sat on the stool. The newly Sorted Gryffindors watched as he seemed to argue with the hat. Several minutes passed. Whispers began to fill the silent hall.

"What's the hold up?" Sirius asked loudly. "Sort him already!" Several Gryffindors laughed.

After what felt like an eternity, the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" and he sat down next to Marlene.

Finally, it was James' turn. He strode confidently up to the hat and didn't even bother sitting down, for it instantly called out "GRYFFINDOR!" and Sirius clapped hard as James sat down across from him.

"Cheers, mate!" James said.

"Have you met my friend Remus?" Sirius asked, nudging the boy beside him.

Remus smiled, his cheeks tinging slightly pink. James greeted him warmly.

"Snape, Severus!" a lanky, greasy-haired boy put the hat on his head.

"It's Snivellus!" Sirius said at the same time the hat said, "SLYTHERIN!"

After several more students and yet one more Gryffindor girl, the last name was called. "Zima, Xenia!" a pretty Russian girl, was Sorted into Ravenclaw, and Professor McGonagall removed the Sorting hat and stool from the Hall.

Albus Dumbeldore stood up and silence fell. "My students," he said. "Let us feast!"

Great cheering followed this and the plates in front of them filled with food. Sirius was ravenous, and loaded up his plate with large helpings of everything within his reach.

"Sirius!" a voice behind him hissed. He looked up. Narcissa had come up from the Slytherin table and was standing with her hands on her hips, looking at him with distaste. Andromeda was with her, but smiled and winked at him from where Narcissa couldn't see.

"Yes?" he said.

"Your mother will be hearing of your insolence!" she said. "You had better cease this childish behavior!"

Sirius rolled his eyes at James. "I'm being scolded because a hat told me to sit at a different table," he said. He made a sweeping gesture. "Meet my family!"

Narcissa scoffed and the two of them walked back to the Slytherin table.

"You have family here?" James asked. "I'm the first Potter since my dad."

Sirius waved a hand casually. "There are loads of us," he said. "Andromeda and Narcissa are my cousins. I think the Prewetts are distantly related to me as well." He cast a dark look to the Slytherin table. "There are quite a few Slytherins here now who are on my family tree at some point or another. Knobheads, the lot of them."

"What about you, Remus?" James asked. "Have you got family here?"

"No," said Remus quietly. "My dad is an only child and my mum is a Muggle."

Sirius dropped his potato. "Your mum is a Muggle?" he asked. "What's that like?"

James gave him an odd look. "What do you think it's like?" he said.

"I dunno," Sirius said. "I never knew anyone who had a wizard father and Muggle mother. Does your mother use wizard objects? Could she use a Sneakoscope? Does she drive an automobile? If your father splinched himself while Apparating, would your mother know what to do?"

James and Remus were staring at him with amusement.

"What?" he said. "I can't be the only person who wonders this sort of thing."

"Strangely enough, that situation has yet to arise," said Remus. "I'll be sure to ask my mum the next time I see her what her level of preparedness is for splinching catastrophies."

James and Sirius laughed.

"What does it matter to you if his mum is a Muggle?" Lily Evans interjected defensively. She had finally turned back to Sirius and her arms were crossed.

Sirius shrugged. "It doesn't. Do you always butt in to conversations to which you haven't been invited?"

"You had better shut your gob if you know what's good for you," Marlene said. "I've got your number, Sirius Black. Your family is one of the sacred twenty-eight! Everyone knows the Blacks love the Dark Arts and hate Muggleborns!"

"You shut it, Marlene!" Sirius said, his voice rising. "You don't know anything about me!"

With impeccable timing, Dumbledore stood up at the staff table. Silence fell almost immediately.

"To our new students, I welcome you!" he said, his eyes twinkling. "To our returning students, I'm sure you are as thrilled as I am to be at the start of another year! I'd like to take this time to introduce you to our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Dawlish!"

There was a polite round of applause as Dumbledore indicated the man on his right: a tall, sturdy man with short brown hair, who merely inclined his head at his introduction.

When the applause had ended, Dumbledore continued, "I must remind everyone that the Forbidden Forest is indeed Forbidden. If you wish to know why, you may ask Professor Kettleburn." He indicated a scraggly looking man who waved the stump that he had instead of a hand. "And on that note, I bid you goodnight!"

A fifth year who had a Prefect badge on his chest stood up and made his way to the first years. "Up you get!" he said. "My name is Frank Longbottom, and it's my job to show you to Gryffindor tower. As it has been a long day and I am tired, your choices are to come with me now, or wander the castle aimlessly for the next seven years."

The first years followed him out of the Great Hall and made their way toward Gryffindor tower. The trek was a long and winding one, which took them up and down several corridors and staircases. He warned them of the trick step on the third floor. As they climbed the fifth floor staircase, he reminded them to never try to use that particular route on Tuesdays at 7:48am, as at that time it led inexplicably to the south tower.

They came to a portrait of a large woman in a pink dress and it was here that Longbottom stopped. "The password is 'dragon wing'." The Fat Lady swung the portrait open. "Welcome home," he said.

Sirius' jaw dropped. He had never seen such a comfortable looking room. Bright red and gold banners adorned the walls, big squashy armchairs surrounded heavily worn wooden tables. A brightly burning fireplace began warming Sirius, who still wet from the lake.

"Boys' dormitories are up the steps on the left, girls are on the right," Longbottom said.

The boys trooped upstairs to their room. Four beds were lined up along the walls with their trunks beside them. Sirius, James, Remus and Peter Pettigrew changed into their pajamas, all exhausted from the feast and the long day.

As Sirius lay in his warm bed and began drifting off, he couldn't help but feel like he was more at home than he had ever been.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The following morning the four boys found their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast after a half an hour's worth of wrong turns. They sat at the Gryffindor table with Fabian and Gideon Prewett on their left and the first year girls on their right. James smiled at them but Sirius pointedly ignored Marlene.

He was reading his class schedule when the owl post came in. He paid little attention as hundreds of owls soared in until he saw Aeneas with a scarlet envelope tied to his leg. He dropped his toast.

"Bugger," he muttered, taking the envelope.

The other boys looked at the letter warily.

"You'd better open it," James advised.

"You'll love my mother," Sirius said grimly, and he opened the Howler.

"SIRIUS APOLLO BLACK!" the screech of his mother echoed through the Hall, which had otherwise become completely silent. "YOU HAVE NO REGARD FOR FAMILY TRADITIONS! HOW DARE YOU CONSORT WITH MUDBLOOD LOVERS AND SWINE SUCH AS THESE! MY FATHERS HAVE GIVEN YOU THE PUREST OF BLOOD AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY THEM? YOU HAVE BROKEN MY HEART, SIRIUS! I THOUGHT YOU HAD LOVE FOR YOUR FAMILY, BUT CLEARLY YOU DO NOT. YOU WILL BE COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS BREAK SO THAT YOU MAY LEARN THE ERROR OF YOUR WAYS. IF YOU BEFRIEND ANY MUDBLOODS, I WILL FIND OUT AND YOU WILL WISH AS I DO THAT YOU HAD NEVER BEEN BORN!"

The letter burst into flames. Sirius could hear her words still echoing, either through the Hall or his head, he wasn't sure. Whispers slowly developed throughout the Hall and became normal conversation once again.

James and Remus were staring at him.

"First class is Charms, I can't wait, can you?" Sirius said flippantly, as though his insides weren't writhing. Leaving his uneaten breakfast, he set off alone on the pretense of finding the Charms classroom.

On his way, he found himself in a deserted corridor. He leaned against a wall and put a shaking hand to his chest. He focused on steadying his breathing.

"Well if it isn't the wayward Black," a voice carried down the hall. "Looks like the Black family isn't perfect after all."

Sirius whirled around and readied his wand before he had even identified the voice. It was Avery, the second year student with whom Sirius had been forced to socialize for years until their differences in politics resulted in the removal of Avery's nose and Sirius falling out of a third story window.

"Hmm, I don't believe in the purification of the wizarding race. Merlin, there must be something wrong with me," Sirius said. "Oh, that's right, I'm capable of thinking for myself. Must be a relief to you, never having to think, eh, Avery? All the more time you have to pretty yourself up for my cousin. Narcissa will never be interested in you, you know. She's preoccupied with Lucius Malfoy. I've seen them snogging when they stay over."

Avery swept his hair out of his face and stuck his chin out in a haughty manner. "Isn't it true you wet yourself in front of Bellatrix and a group of Slytherin seventh years last summer? It seems all I need to take down the mighty Black heir is a little Dark Magic."

Avery grinned at the look on Sirius' face. His comment had hit its mark.

"Are you boys lost?" A door opened to reveal the Charms teacher, Professor Flitwick. "Charms is in here, young lad," he said to Sirius, who had an incantation on his lips and his wand pointed at Avery's chest. "Mr. Avery, you are due for Potions. You had best be on your way."

Sirius followed Flitwick inside and sat at a table in the back. Thirty seconds later, James, Remus and Peter joined him, breathless.

"We got lost," James explained. "Where did you get to?"

"I met a family friend in the hall," Sirius said bitterly. "It seems everyone wants to give me their opinion on my Sorting."

Sirius paid little attention as Flitwick began talking about the Levitation Spell. He had mastered that quite a while ago, and had endured many renditions from Andromeda of "swish and flick!"

James seemed to have little trouble with the spell and Remus had managed to levitate his feather after several tries. Peter Pettigrew, however, could not budge his feather to save his life.

"Wingardum Levosa!" he said, and his feather blackened and shriveled.

"It's not going to work if you can't say it properly," Sirius said, rolling his eyes. " _Wingardium Leviosa!_ " his feather rose fifteen feet in the air and landed on his desk in the same spot it had been. He then levitated the waste bin onto James' head.

Remus and Peter laughed as James brushed trash out of his already messy hair.

"You have no subtlety," James commented airily. " _Wingardium Leviosa!_ " His textbook rose up next to Sirius and smacked him over the head.

Their next class was History of Magic, although Sirius didn't recall much of the class, as he slept through most of it. He wasn't the only one; the majority of the class drifted off at some point or another. Some students, like Lily, tried to be attentive and take notes, but inevitably their hands slackened and their quills drooped. Professor Binns did not seem to notice.

When History of Magic finally ended, they had a quick lunch and set off for Potions, then their last class of the day, a double period of Transfiguration.

"There will be no tom-foolery in my class," warned Professor McGonagall, giving a pointed look to James and Sirius, who smiled innocently. "Transfiguration is a practical and extremely difficult branch of magic. If you fall behind now, you will fail to catch up for the next seven years."

For a half an hour, they took notes, then she passed out matchsticks for them to transfigure into needles.

"What a waste of time," Sirius said as they left the classroom.

"You only say that because I was able to transfigure it and you weren't," said James with a grin.

"Mine was pointy on the end!" Sirius said, ducking to avoid a suit of armor that tried to clothes-line him.

"You just can't admit that I'm clearly superior at Transfiguration," James said smugly.

"I didn't catch mine on fire!" Peter piped in brightly.

Sirius snorted. "Your match didn't do its singular function. Congratulations, Peter."

"Let's go to dinner," Remus said. "I'm famished."

They made it back to Gryffindor Tower that night by following a group of Fourth Years. Peter forgot to jump the trick step and the other boys had to lift him by the arms to free him.

The first year Gryffindor girls were inside the common room when they arrived. Alexis Fawley was practicing her Levitation Spell on Marlene's books. Lily Evans was sitting with two other girls whose names Sirius did not yet know, studying Charms.

Sirius laughed loudly. "It's the first day of classes and you are studying?"

"Oh, and I suppose you know the material already?" asked one of the girls, eyeing him with a half-smile.

"Go ahead, ask me a question," he said. He and James had dropped their bags on the table and sat on a couch across from Lily and the other two girls. Sirius propped his feet on the table, earning a dirty look from Lily, whose notes were only a few inches away from his left foot.

"Explain the three rules of properly performing Charms," the girl recited from the homework Professor Flitwick had given them.

"Simple," Sirius said. "Proper wand movement, enunciation and concentration."

"All skills which Peter lacks," James added and the two chuckled. Peter's face reddened but he said nothing.

Sirius elaborated, "Proper wand movement is important because it focuses your energy into the object. Each spell has different wand movement, although there are groups of similar spells that have alike movements. Enunciation, obviously is important so you don't accidentally use a different spell and burn your feather instead of Levitating it." He turned and raised his eyebrows at Peter as he said this. "You need concentration if you want anything to happen at all. Concentration is the method of releasing the magical energy from inside you."

The girl looked impressed. Marlene looked irritated. Sirius smirked. He looked around at all the first years. "Does anyone else need help with their homework?" he said.

"As long as you don't need help in Transfiguration," James said, nudging Sirius with his elbow. "Sirius can't help you with that, but I can."

"Emmaline, you don't need to seek the two of them for help," Lily said, looking at James and Sirius darkly. "I can help you study."

As Sirius lay in bed that night, he found it difficult to drift off. He could already hear the snores of his roommates, who had done nothing yet to disappoint their parents. The screams from the Howler were still reverberating in his head.

He was used to his mother being angry with him, and the fact that she had shouted at him in front of the whole school did not particularly bother him. Yet, her wish that he had never been born was something she had never before expressed aloud to him. Whenever he recalled those words a lump formed in his throat. It was as though he could not escape her resentment.

He fell into an uneasy sleep, punctuated by dreams of his mother turning away from him, ignoring him as he shouted. He circled around her to look into her eyes and saw that she had no face.

It was still dark outside as he awoke with a gasp, heart hammering. His clock showed that it was 5:45 am. Resigning himself to the fact that he was fully awake, he decided to head down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast.

To Sirius' surprise, Remus was already at the Gryffindor table, reading his Defense Against the Dark Arts book and eating eggs. He looked as tired as Sirius felt.

Sirius sat beside him and helped himself to a plate of bacon and sausage. "Why are you up so early?" he asked, crunching loudly on a strip of bacon.

Remus looked startled by the question. "I couldn't sleep because I'm worried about my mum," he said quietly. "She doesn't feel well. You're up early as well." He said the last part in a manner that was almost accusatory.

"I couldn't sleep well either," Sirius muttered. "For other reasons.…" He cast his eyes around for another topic and nodded at Remus' book. "Are you interested in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"Oh yes," Remus said in a much friendlier tone. "My dad works in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures at the Ministry. He knows a great deal about Dark creatures. It looks as though there are Dark creatures in our first chapter, I suppose we'll learn about Redcaps and grindylows. I don't know too much about defensive spells, though. Are you familiar with the subject at all?"

"Well my father has a collection of Dark objects," Sirius said slowly, examining a sausage link. "I don't think that counts though. My cousins have taught me some good hexes. Come to think of it, I'm not certain that my mum ever specified the difference between Dark magic and regular magic. She preferred to curse me when I made friends with Muggles." He looked up at Remus, who was giving him an expression of mingled surprise and pity.

"What your mum said yesterday in the Howler –" Remus started.

"Look, my mum isn't a very pleasant person and I'd rather not talk about her," Sirius said quickly, then added in what was barely more than a whisper, "I'm not like them."

"I'm not suggesting that you're like them, I don't think you would be talking to me if you were," Remus said. "I just – just wanted to say I'm sorry if that's how she speaks to you normally."

Sirius felt his face turning red. He didn't know how other families spoke to each other. "It's not that bad," he defended, squirming in his seat.

Thankfully, at that moment, Lily and Marlene arrived at the table, so Remus was unable to make further inquiries. He stared at Sirius for a moment, then finally put down his book.

"I can't wait for Defense Against the Dark Arts either!" Lily said to Remus, having seen what he was reading.

"I can," said Sirius. "We have Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins." He shot a glance at the Slytherin table and caught Narcissa making a disgusted face at him.

"What's wrong with Slytherin?" Lily said accusatorially.

"Nothing," Sirius said lightly. "As long as you're not Muggleborn, half-blood or a blood traitor."

"What did you call her?" Marlene demanded.

"If you keep eavesdropping and taking what I say out of context, you will continue to misunderstand me," Sirius said. Then he muttered under his breath, "Idiot."

Marlene gripped her wand and stood up. "Why don't you say that to my face!"

Sirius stood up as well. He barely noticed his goblet fall to the floor with a clatter. "I _said_ , you're an idiot. A dolt. A gnome among centaurs. If you ever stopped to listen you might know what was going on instead of making imbecilic judgements about everything I say."

"There isn't any trouble here, is there?" Longbottom had appeared at their end of the table, having noticed the warning signs of an impending duel. "In case you're unaware, magic isn't allowed outside the classroom."

"No, Frank," Sirius said, not taking his eyes off Marlene. "Just a little disagreement." They both sat down.

James and Peter arrived just as the owl post came in. "Excellent!" James said as an owl with a large parcel landed in front of him. "Mum sent me a care package!" He opened it and revealed a bountiful supply of home baked treats.

He beckoned Sirius. "I'll nip up to the dormitory to drop this off before Herbology starts. Come with me and I'll share." Sirius eagerly joined him, glad to get away from the Great Hall.

Sirius didn't find Herbology to be particularly exciting, although he liked the teacher, Professor Sprout. She was a friendly witch with dirt splattered robes that would have offended his mother. She awarded five points to Gryffindor when he was able to tell her the effects of dittany.

He was more interested in the following class, Defense Against the Dark Arts, despite sharing it with the Slytherins. When the bell rang for the end of Herbology, he wasted no time packing his things and making his way to the classroom on the third floor. James, Remus and Peter were right behind him.

Professor Dawlish was awaiting their arrival. He stood in front of the blackboard, facing the class with his muscular arms crossed. He first took attendance.

"Okay, books away and wands out, children," he said. A murmur of interest rippled through the classroom and there was a shuffling of books being haphazardly stuffed into bags.

"This will be a practical class," he said. "Dumbledore wants me to prepare you for any threats that may exist outside this castle. Now, I want you to pick a partner and face each other, as if you were dueling. _I didn't tell you to cast a spell yet!_ " he shot at Evan Rosier, who had already raised his wand at his partner, the Gryffindor girl named Mary MacDonald. Rosier looked put out, but did as he was told.

"You'll be learning the Disarming Spell today," Dawlish explained. "The incantation is _Expelliarmus_. I don't want to see you trying any other spells or I shall be very displeased. Begin!"

The classroom filled with the sound of the incantation being shouted at different intervals. James and Sirius faced one another. Sirius grinned.

" _Expelliarmus_!" they hollered simultaneously. James' wand flew out of his hand. It landed where Sirius had been standing. Sirius' wand sailed through the air and so did he. He crashed into Lily and Marlene, knocking them to the ground as well.

"My apologies, ladies," Sirius said. After he stopped laughing, James held out his hand to help Sirius up.

"It would appear that we now know who the better dueler is," James said.

"Bollocks!" said Sirius. "I disarmed you as well!"

"Yes, but my feet are still on the ground."

"Don't bother helping us up!" Lily said from her place on the floor. Her arms were folded.

"We won't," said Sirius. Turning back to James, he said, "Let's try again, shall we? I would hate for you to walk away thinking you can disarm better than I can."

But as they readied their wands, Sirius heard a commotion to his left. As he turned, he barely had time to register Mary MacDonald on the floor with her face covered in hives and Rosier standing before her, his features contorted with malice. Rosier raised his wand –

" _Impedimenta_!" Dawlish roared, reddened in rage, spittle flying from his mouth. Rosier froze in place. "Vance!" Emmaline jumped when he said her name. "Take MacDonald to the hospital wing. And you," he said, turning to Rosier, "you are coming with me to see your Head of House." He addressed the class, "No one moves until I return." The four left, Dawlish closing the door behind him.

Sirius couldn't help but think he needn't have warned them. The class stood in a stunned silence, all except for a Slytherin boy Sirius recognized as Nicholas Nott.

"Well I think she got what's coming to her, the filthy Mudblood," he said. The other Slytherins laughed.

Sirius had never witnessed such an effect. He knew the word was a slur, had heard his relatives use it regularly in a derogatory fashion, but he had never seen a negative reaction to its use.

Remus dropped his bag. Marlene swore. James burst past Sirius. "Don't _ever_ use that word!" he yelled, straight-faced and livid. He pointed his wand at Nott's chest.

"Oh yeah?" said Nott, unafraid. The other Slytherin boys were closing in. "What do you intend to do, Potter? Do you plan to take on all of us alone?"

"He's not alone, he's got me!" Sirius said, standing side-by-side with James.

At the same time, to Sirius' surprise, Lily said, "You'll be fighting me as well!" She had also raised her wand.

"Two blood traitors and a Mudblood," Nott said mockingly. "What a terrifying sight." He indicated two thick boys beside him. "Mulciber, Wilkes, you'll back me up, won't you?" The two boys nodded. "Excellent, let's show Black why Slytherin is the winning side."

"He's back! He's coming back!" Peter Pettigrew squeaked from the doorway, where he'd been peering out.

"You had better watch your backs," Nott muttered. The boys and Lily had just enough time to lower their wands and look innocent before Dawlish opened the door.

Dawlish was cursing and ranting under his breath. "Second bloody day of classes!" he said. He looked around at them. "Go on, leave! Class dismissed! I don't want to see your faces again until tomorrow!"

James and Sirius exchanged looks as the class gathered their things.

"That was an enlightening first class," Remus said as they made their way towards the Great Hall for lunch. "That was smart, keeping an eye out for the teacher," he said encouragingly to Peter, who blushed.

"Thanks for having my back," James said to Sirius, clapping him on the shoulder.

"Any time, mate," Sirius said with a smile.

They watched as Nott and the gang of Slytherins moved through the hallway in front of them, joining up with an older group of Slytherins. Nott leaned in and whispered to a seventh year boy Sirius recognized, but whose name he did not know.

"Lily," James called to the redhead, who was a few steps ahead of them. "Thank you for standing up to Nott with me and Sirius."

"I didn't do it for _you_ ," she said. "I would have said something whether you two were there or not because it was the right thing to do. He has no right to call her that word." She didn't wait for him to respond, continuing to the Hall, and leaving him standing with his mouth hanging slightly open.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

On the Friday afternoon of the second week of class, the first years had their first flying lesson. Together, the Griffindors went out to the practice field behind the castle, where Madam Fawn had set out the school brooms in a line. They were joined shortly after by the Slytherins.

She ordered them to each stand by a broom, extend their wand arm, and say "UP!" Sirius had never before used this method, he had simply clambered right onto his broom at home, but it certainly revealed who within the class was afraid to fly.

He noticed that Severus Snape was one of those whose broom didn't move when he called it. Nor did Peter's. Remus' broom had come up about halfway, then changed its mind and thumped softly back onto the grass.

She showed them proper positioning and grip once everyone had managed to call a broom. James and Sirius paid little attention, too busy daring each other to do increasingly stupid moves once they were in the air.

"You still haven't proven to me you can fall from a great height," Sirius was saying.

"That'll be enough chit chat!" Fawn boomed. "Let's see what you can do. When I blow my whistle, kick off hard from the ground."

She blew on her whistle, and Sirius kicked off. It was as though a huge weight had lifted from his shoulders and he left his worries about his mother and the Slytherins behind. He closed his eyes and felt the cool wind whip his face.

"Alright there, mate?" he heard James' voice beside him. He opened his eyes. James was grinning broadly, clearly enjoying himself as much as Sirius was. They looked to the ground below.

Half the class had not risen into the air. Snape was clinging to his broomstick for dear life even though it hadn't moved an inch. Peter had actually managed to fall over.

Among them in the sky was Remus, although he looked pale and uncomfortable. Marlene was making loops around Alexis Fawley. Nott, Rosier, and a Slytherin girl named Florence Greengrass were also flying.

"I bet my flimsy, underperforming school broom is faster than your flimsy, underperforming school broom," Sirius said.

"First one to circle the castle and over to Hagrid's hut wins!" James said. They set off. Madam Fawn was too busy putting out the fire that Peter had somehow managed to set to his broom to notice their disappearance.

Sirius lay flat on his broom and urged it forward. James was ahead of him, skirting the edge of the North Tower. "Move it," Sirius said to his broom. The handle began vibrating, protesting the speed it was being forced to achieve.

James easily won the race. He was circling twenty feet above Hagrid's hut and waving his arms in the air triumphantly as Sirius arrived.

"Lousy school broom," Sirius grumbled good naturedly. James smirked.

"You two get back here!" Madam Fawn screeched upon seeing that they were halfway across the grounds. They took their time flying back to the group. "Those of you who have made it into the air today need to know how to land," she said.

"That's easy," said Sirius. "I do this all the time." Grinning at James, he leapt forward into a dive off his broom, landing in his usual tuck and roll position on the ground, twenty feet below. He heard several girls scream. His momentum carried him through a somersault and he ended up on his backside. He put his palms out in a "Ta-da!" expression.

"No one else do that!" Fawn yelled in a panic. "That is not a proper dismount!"

But James had already leapt from his broom as well, except he didn't know how to land. As a result, he landed hard on his back with a _splat_. The wind was knocked out of him and he didn't speak for a moment, but Sirius was doubled over with laughter.

Madam Fawn was shaking and white from head to toe. After a moment, she managed to say, "There will be no more flying lessons for you two, I think."

Ten minutes later the boys were trooping back up to the castle. "I reckon I'll try out for the Quidditch team next year," James said.

"You'll do well, mate," Sirius said, patting him on the back. "You're better at falling than I thought."

Sirius continued to enjoy and excel at his classes. He enlisted Remus whenever he needed help with Transfiguration, refusing to seek James' help. He found he was decent at Potions, but it was annoying that he had to rebuff Professor Slughorn's continuous invitations to be part of his exclusive "Slug Club".

"No thank you, sir," he would have to say after almost every class. "I'd rather drink the Draught of the Living Death every morning for breakfast."

James had made the mistake of agreeing the first time he had been asked, when Slughorn had approached him and Sirius, completely ignoring Remus and Peter. Now he would beg Sirius to hex him so he could get out of meetings.

Sirius had no sympathy. "He didn't force you to join," he would say. "You were the silly sod who said yes."

Sirius could have slept through every Astronomy class if he had wanted to and still passed the course. This fact was received with jealousy by his friends.

"It's not fair!" Peter said after class one night. "I wasn't named after constellations!"

"Yeah, you got to play outside instead of getting smacked on the head whenever you forgot a star," Sirius said grumpily. Peter hastened to change the subject.

He couldn't believe it was already October. Six weeks had gone by so quickly he could swear he had just arrived at Hogwarts. He and James hung out constantly. They both considered Remus a friend as well. Sirius was even getting used to Peter tagging along with them. Peter did a lot of things that annoyed Sirius, but every once in a while he would pipe up with something brilliant that none of the others had thought of.

Remus had left earlier in the week to take a trip home. His mother had a chronic disease that would flare up during times of stress. The other boys were enjoying the last of autumn's remaining sunshine. They lounged at the edge of the lake, tossing bits of lunch in and watching the giant squid snag it.

Sirius sat up suddenly. He had noticed a group of students near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. They were running forward, then jumping back. Wordlessly, he stood up and walked over to the crowd. As he drew nearer, he realized that the object of their attention was a tree that was quite irritated by their proximity.

"What sort of game is that?" he asked a Hufflepuff boy who was standing nearby.

"We're trying to get close enough to touch its trunk," the boy explained.

"Hmm," Sirius said. "That makes sense."

James and Peter had followed him, wanting to see what the fuss was about. "Who's going to try first?" James asked the other two. Peter bit his fingernails and looked on fearfully.

Sirius darted forward. He'd been observing the flailing limbs, and he was certain there was a pattern – "Hurgh!" he said as a tree limb slammed into his gut and knocked him back several feet. James and Peter laughed at him lying on the ground between them.

He jumped to his feet again, calculating, watching the limbs move carefully. "Cursed tree, thinks it can outsmart me," he muttered. "We'll see about that." A branch swung for him, he ducked it, hopped over another that tried to trip him, and then was caught, full on, by a branch that swung in from the left.

There was a sudden sharp pain in the side of his head and he closed his eyes.

"Sirius," he heard a distant voice say. Grass was tickling his nose. "Sirius," repeated the voice, much closer this time. He wondered why his head was aching. "Sirius!" James said, slapping his face. Sirius opened his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked groggily.

"The tree knocked you out cold, you stupid prat," James said, laughing. He held out his hand and helped Sirius up.

"I almost touched the trunk," he said, brain still foggy.

"You weren't even close. You are a disappointment to this entire trunk touching operation. Now let's go inside before you get any more interesting ideas." James looked surprised at himself. "Merlin, I don't fancy being the voice of reason."

Remus returned to school that Monday, looking exhausted. They found him in the Great Hall, eating as though he hadn't had any food the whole weekend, and studying his Charms textbook.

"How is your mum?" James asked, helping himself to one of the only plates Remus hadn't devoured.

"She'll never be cured, but she's better for now," Remus said. His voice was hoarse. "What did I miss this weekend?"

"Not too much," James said. "Let's see, Charms homework, that game of exploding Snap, Sirius was outsmarted by a tree…"

"That was no ordinary tree!" Sirius defended.

"Sorry, Sirius was outsmarted by a tree of above average intelligence –"

"I didn't see you touching that trunk, James." Sirius brandished a soggy piece of bacon at him.

"You didn't see much of anything, because you were unconscious." James grinned widely. Sirius' gaping stare meant he'd won the argument.

"So I was whomped by the willow," Sirius admitted. "At least I wasn't afraid to try."

Remus shook his head at the two of them. "Before this it was your insistence upon petting Professor McGonagall when she was in cat form," he said to Sirius. "At this rate, you won't live to see your seventh year."

"I couldn't believe her fur was so soft," Sirius said thoughtfully. "With her demeanor, one would think it would be bristly."

"That look on her face, I thought she might hit you," Remus said with a smile. "And you would have deserved it too."

"She enjoyed it," Sirius said, "whether she will admit it or not."

On the morning of Halloween, Sirius awoke with a start. For no reason he could fathom, he had a feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach.

The dormitory was still dark. Dimly, he could make out the silhouettes of his three sleeping friends. He sat for a moment on his bed with his hands wrapped around his shins and his chin resting on his knees. After a moment of contemplation, he made up his mind and got dressed.

He was one of the first students in the Great Hall for breakfast, but found he wasn't terribly interested in eating. Instead, he stared at the ceiling's depiction of the sky outside: dark grey clouds obscured the moon and swelled with unfallen rain. He could hear low rumblings of thunder making threats.

He stood up, his mind set, without realizing he'd made the decision that he wanted to go for a walk outside.

The first hint of daylight was just forcing its way onto the horizon as he made his way out the doors and through the dewy grass. He didn't have a particular destination, only knew that he felt too restless to continue sitting in the Great Hall, waiting for his friends to join him.

Sirius took a deep breath of cool autumn air. The wind whirled between his fingertips. His mind drifted back to Halloween last year at Grimmauld Place.

Halloween was always a memorable affair at the Black ancestral home. Picnic tables were set up in the backyard, drinks and political opinions flowed freely, arguments inevitably became vitriolic ranting, and eventually hexes were thrown.

No one was particularly concerned whether children had access to alcohol. Sirius had had his first drink at age eight, encouraged and given to him by his grandfather, Arcturus.

Last year, Arcturus had clasped Sirius by the shoulder, given him a goblet of Goblin wine and told him to drink up. They watched as Sirius' father shouted that Alphard was a disgrace and sent a curse at him that caused Alphard's limbs to contort sickeningly. Sirius had been too engrossed in the scene around him to remember his drink, so Arcturus had intervened. Arcturus poured Sirius' drink down his throat while they observed and Sirius could hear his uncle's bones cracking.

Sirius had only a hazy recollection of the rest of the evening. Flashes of memory gave him a general idea of what had transpired, although he had never asked anyone to elaborate on the details. He vaguely remembered Bellatrix casting a spell on him, lying in the grass outside while Regulus sobbed and tried to pull him to his feet, and getting violently sick on the carpet in the drawing room. He woke up the next morning on the cold floor of Bellatrix's room with a pounding headache.

Sirius gave a small shudder at the memory. He slowly became aware that he was walking along the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

"Well, well, what do we have here, boys?" Sirius spun around. Nott led a swarm of Slytherins, who were spreading out in order to surround Sirius. Avery, Mulciber, Snape and Rabastan Lestrange, who was a seventh year, all had their wands pointed at Sirius. Snape was the only one present who was not part of the Black family's social circle.

"Good morning," Sirius said casually, gripping his wand as well and quickly strategizing that his best chance was to take out Lestrange first. "Lovely time for a stroll, wouldn't you agree?" He was not concerned about Avery, and he knew Mulciber to be an idiot. He did not know what Snape was capable of.

Lestrange spoke up. "Bellatrix wishes to express her concern that you are falling in with the wrong crowd," he said. "She asked us to pass along a message to you."

Sirius felt his stomach drop at the mention of his cousin's name. "What message is that?" he asked warily, stalling for time and hoping he could catch one or two of them off guard.

"She wants us to remind you of Christmas evening last year," Avery said smugly. "She said she's certain you'll remember wetting your pants in front of her and everyone else. Imagine that," he said to the crowd of laughing Slytherins. "Black, who likes to pretend he is a tough, _brave Gryffindor_ , is just a scared little boy, afraid of his _mean big cousin_."

Sirius' wand arm was shaking. Rage exploded inside him, coursing through his veins. " _EXPELLIARMUS_!" he shouted at Lestrange, who flew backward and slammed into a tree. The boys stopped laughing. Avery raised his wand, but Sirius shoved his shoulder into him, and Avery fell.

" _Conjunctivo_!" Nott said, but Sirius ducked his spell. Snape made a slashing motion with his wand, and Sirius clutched his arm as he felt a deep gash open up. Blood began bubbling from the wound through his shirt.

" _Impedimenta_!" Sirius aimed his spell at Nott, who froze in place.

"STOP THIS INSTANT!" a voice shouted. Professor McGonagall was striding towards them with her wand out, white with rage. "I have never seen such cowardice! Dueling five on one! Wait until Professor Slughorn hears about this! Go to his office now. I will see to it that you have detention for a month!"

The Slytherin boys trooped back to the castle. McGonagall turned to Sirius. "Are you alright, Black?" she said.

"I'm fine," Sirius said, though he was beginning to feel lightheaded.

"You're bleeding," she said, indicating the cut on his arm, which had now colored his entire sleeve red.

"I suppose I am," said Sirius.

"You need to go to the hospital wing," she said. "Do you need assistance getting there?"

"No," said Sirius. "I can get there just fine, thanks." But he took two steps forward and his vision began spinning. He grabbed McGonagall's arm instinctively to keep from falling over.

Sirius heard footsteps coming towards them. "Sirius, are you okay?" James was asking. "Professor, what's happened?" He put his arm around Sirius and hoisted him up.

"Help him get to the hospital wing, Potter," she said. "I must meet with Professor Slughorn."

Sirius heard her leave, but didn't dare to try and look. Black spots were clouding his vision. "I had the situation under control," he said to James, leaning heavily on him.

"Clearly," said James. "I saw Lestrange's bloodied head on my way out here. What did you use on him?"

"Disarming Spell," Sirius said. "He slammed into a tree. I told you I'm better at that spell than you are." Talking seemed to help him retain consciousness.

"Who cut your arm?" They were now back inside the castle.

"Snape," Sirius said. "He made some slashing motion. I didn't even hear him utter a spell."

"Why did they attack you? I mean, I get that Nott doesn't like either of us, but what do the others have against you?"

"It was a message from my cousin Bellatrix. It seems I'm receiving fairly heavy backlash due to my Sorting."

"Your cousin?" James said, bewildered. "Are your parents aware of this? Surely they don't condone her actions?'

Sirius chanced a look at James and immediately regretted it. He was clinging so desperately to consciousness now that it was sapping the strength from the rest of his body. His legs wobbled.

"You don't understand, James," he said. "This sort of thing is normal for my family. They're simply taking care of business. They're probably praising Bellatrix for helping maintain the family image." He took a shaky breath. "When I was little, I would make friends with Muggles. I didn't even know they were Muggles at the time, I just wanted to make friends. My parents thought it was a simple matter of making me understand their ideology. They assumed that I was just a stupid kid, that I would grow to realize the importance of being pure-blood. Now that I've been Sorted into Gryffindor, it's as if they're realizing I'm taking a purposeful step in the other direction. I'm probably making you and Peter and _especially_ Remus targets for the Slytherins just by associating with you!"

They had arrived at the hospital wing. James was helping Sirius onto a bed as the Healer, Madam Pomfrey, came bustling in. "What happened?" she demanded.

"He was hit with some sort of cutting curse," James said. "He's lost a lot of blood." His eyes cast off to the right and Sirius saw he was looking at a trail of blood which Sirius had lost on their way in.

Madam Pomfrey muttered under her breath. "Well then, off to class with you," she said to James.

James opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off, "Mr. Black will be fine. Here's a note for your teacher explaining where he's gone. Go on, now, class is about to start."

James sighed. "I'll see you in a bit then," he said.

Sirius was released, having missed Charms and most of History of Magic (the latter for which he was grateful). Rather than sit in for the last ten minutes of class, he opted instead to go right down to lunch. The bell rang just as he got to the Great Hall, and he was the first person to sit down for lunch.

He was digging into a hefty sandwich when James, Remus and Peter arrived. James thumped him on the back.

"Glad you're not dead," he said.

"Cheers," said Sirius. "Pomfrey fixed me right up. She healed the wound, gave me a blood replenishing potion, and sent me out. No reason to worry. I have a nice scar from it though." He rolled up the sleeve of his shirt and showed them. Peter muttered "wow" softly under his breath.

"Madam Pomfrey really is fantastic," Remus said.

"Have you seen her already?" James asked.

Remus turned red. "Well yes," he said. "I was feeling ill my first few days here and Madam Pomfrey gave me some potions.

"Listen up!" Lily sat beside them, brandishing a copy of the Daily Prophet. "I've only just heard the news. Read this!" She handed Remus the article.

His eyes rapidly scanned the page. He spit out his tea.

"Let's have a look," Sirius said. James looked over his shoulder and they read it together.

 **Attack in Hogsmeade**

Before sunrise this morning, terror struck the all-wizarding

village of Hogsmeade. Howard Engleton was found dead by

his wife, Gertrude, in their stately home. Word of his brutal

murder spread through the village and currently all the shops

are closed. When pressed for comment, Gertrude had this to

say: "I don't understand. Who would do this to a pureblood?"

Who indeed, the Prophet asks. However, evidence points to a

witch or wizard of the Muggleborn variety. Though the Ministry

has attempted to cover up the story, there has been talk of

a Muggleborn uprising across the country. When reporters

asked Minister for Magic, Eugenia Jenkins, for confirmation

of these accusations, she snapped, "That is total rubbish.

Anyone who believes that is an idiot." A comment like that

prompts this reporter to ask, have we ever seen evidence

of Minister Jenkins' blood status? Dwellers of both Hogsmeade

and London agree that it is time to request verification. "We

have a right to know whether our own Minister for Magic is

working for us or against us," Orion Black stated. In the

meantime, we can only wonder what horrors the Muggleborn

community will perpetrate next.

Sirius nearly fell out of his chair. "Oh no," he said. He put his face in his hands. "My own father is egging on this rubbish."

"These are fearmongering tactics!" Lily said, her eyes ablaze. "The Daily Prophet is spreading lies about Muggleborns."

"Wonderful, Black," Marlene said darkly. "Seems your family is on the forefront of what is rapidly becoming a racial cleanse."

Sirius still had his hands over his eyes. "Way to go, Black!" a voice shouted. It was Evan Rosier. "Your family chose the winning side!"

There was some relief for the fact that the Gryffindors did not have Transfiguration with any other House. However, it didn't help that Marlene kept muttering snide comments under her breath. Sirius couldn't focus. He had no hope of Transfiguring his mouse into a snuffbox.

Two painfully long hours later, they were free at last. Sirius had no desire to go to the Halloween feast. He was just thinking of excuses to go back to the dormitory instead when James elbowed him.

"I've been thinking," James said. "Forget the feast. I have a better idea. Come up to the dormitory with me." They hurried against the traffic of the corridors up to the vacant common room. "Wait here," James said, and ran up to their room.

Forty-five seconds later he returned with a silvery sheer cloth. "What is that?" Sirius asked.

"This," James said proudly, "is my Invisibility Cloak."

Sirius' jaw dropped. "Where in Merlin's name did you get an Invisibility Cloak?" he asked.

"My dad gave it to me. He inherited it from his dad. It goes back many generations in my family. Anyway, I thought since you had such a bollocks day we might sneak out to the Quidditch pitch and borrow some brooms. How about it? Do you feel up to some rule breaking?"

"Yes!" Sirius said, smiling for the first time today. "Yes please!"

"Here, stand by me," James said, and he threw the cloak over himself and Sirius. Sirius watched in the mirror, awed, as his body disappeared.

"James," he said quietly. "We can do anything in this cloak. We can go anywhere!"

James grinned. "I have used it once here already," he said. "Be mindful of how noisy your movement is, and don't open doors when people are looking. Ready? Let's go play some Quidditch!"

They shuffled out of the common room, which was still empty. Outside the Great Hall, they could hear the noise of people happily eating, but luckily, the entrance hall was empty as well.

The sky was threatening a storm even more so than this morning. It was much warmer out and each blade of grass was completely still.

Still beneath the cloak, they went to the broom shed. Here, James withdrew a hairpin from his robes and picked the lock. Fifty school brooms were stashed inside, as well as over one hundred individual students' brooms, each with their own padlock.

The boys studied the school brooms intently for a moment before selecting a Cleansweep One each, the newest of the available school brooms.

Once they had chosen their brooms and made sure they were functional, they stashed James' cloak and borrowed a Quaffle.

Outside, Sirius kicked off from the ground. He soared up to the goalposts, then looped over James. They spent some time simply enjoying flying, then practiced scoring on one another with the Quaffle. When they returned to the ground, dirty, sweat covered, and wearing matching satisfied smiles, it was well past curfew. This, Sirius thought, was freedom.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

November arrived, cold and blustery. There was an upsurge in homework for the first years, but Sirius didn't mind. Overall, he was happier than he'd ever felt before. When November third passed, he had forgotten about his birthday entirely, and was surprised to receive a book of H. P. Lovecraft short stories from his uncle and two serpent shaped rings from his father, the latter of which he immediately tossed into his trunk.

There was a flurry of excitement building due to the upcoming Quidditch match. The first game of the year would feature Ravenclaw versus Slytherin. There was a lot of buzz about the Ravenclaw team, which was supposed to be far better than last year's team. James and Sirius were finding it more difficult to get playing time on the Quidditch field except for late at night after curfew.

Remus had gone home again at the beginning of the month to see his mother.

"Poor bloke," James said after Remus had bid them goodnight and left the dormitory to head home. "His mum must really be in a bad state."

"Maybe we can cheer him up when he gets back," Sirius said.

"Perhaps we could buy him a box of snacks," Peter suggested with a mouth full of Chocolate Frog.

"I suppose," Sirius said without much enthusiasm. "He always looks like he hasn't slept the whole time he's gone, have you noticed?"

"Do you reckon he stays up with her?" James asked with a furrowed brow. "Could she really be that bad off?"

Sirius shrugged. "How would we go about getting him snacks?" he said to Peter. "I wonder where the kitchen is here." For a moment he sat thoughtfully, then he got to his feet. "Let's go find it," he said. "The three of us can easily fit under your cloak. Let's go find the kitchen!"

James' eyes lit up. "Let it be known that I never doubted your intelligence," he said to Sirius. He took the cloak from his trunk and threw it over the three of them. "Where shall we begin?"

"We can just start poking around," Sirius said. "It'll be somewhere on the lower floors."

"We should start at the Great Hall and work our way out," said Peter.

"Good thinking," James said.

They crept down to the Great Hall, with Peter stepping on Sirius' foot several times in the process. They tiptoed past Peeves, who was painting crude images on the tapestries in the entrance hall.

"Let's work our way round in a circle," Sirius said when they were debating where of the many hallways to begin.

They took the staircase down to the dungeons and explored around the area which they knew to be the Potions classrooms.

"This isn't right," James said. "The kitchen must be directly below the Great Hall, I'm certain we're south of that."

"I recognize that statue of Hildegard the Harmless," Sirius said. "We're near the Slytherin common room. Let's not stay here."

"Right you are," James agreed. "The kitchens can't be near them and I don't fancy running into Snape or Nott this time of night."

They shuffled back to the main hallway of the lower floor. It was still colder here than in the rest of the castle, but far better lit than the dungeons. There were more decorations, but also more traffic. Several older students passed them, as did Professor Slughorn. They flattened themselves against the wall as he passed.

James checked his watch. "We've already been down here an hour," he said. "All we've done is rule out the dungeons."

"It's quite difficult to maneuver through here as well," Sirius agreed. "Let's try again tomorrow night. At breakfast tomorrow, we'll ask Gideon and Fabian if they know anything."

The other two nodded. They took the steps up to the main floor and paused. There was no longer any traffic, as it was past even the seventh years' curfew.

Sirius' ears perked up and he tensed when he heard the sound of movement near them. It was a similar sound to the rustling of a cloak. "Someone's here," he whispered as quietly as he could.

A shrill meow came from near the ground beside them. The caretaker's cat, Mrs. Bartlett, was peering in their direction and sniffing madly.

"She can smell us!" James hissed. "Move!"

Before they could take a step, Filch appeared from around the corner, wheezing. "Where are they, my sweet kitten?" he asked.

Sirius could feel Peter trembling beside him. He moved to put his hand on Peter's shoulder to steady him, but as Filch took a step forward, Peter took a step back, right onto Sirius' foot.

Sirius instinctively tried to regain balance, but his foot was still caught beneath Peter's and he stumbled backward. He fell into James and the three of them toppled into the tapestry behind them. Sirius expected to hit his head on the wall behind it, but instead they fell backwards through a hole behind the tapestry. They landed in a pile on the stone floor in an unfamiliar hallway.

They didn't have time to register their discovery of a secret passageway. They scrambled to their feet, each aware of how much noise they had been making, and scampered, not chancing a glance behind them. They could hear Filch shouting from the other side of the tapestry.

The boys arrived at Gryffindor Tower ten minutes later, gasping for breath. They took off the cloak, ran inside and up into their room.

James slid down the door, Sirius collapsed face first on his bed, and Peter gobbled a Cauldron Cake that he retrieved from under his pillow.

"So, tomorrow night, then, lads?" James asked.

The following morning they went down to the Great Hall together to find the Prewett twins. Sirius loaded his plate with eggs, biscuits and gravy, eager to reembark on their task, but preferably on a full stomach.

James spotted the two third years sitting between a group of girls. "Oi!" he called. He and Sirius nudged a path between the girls so they could sit across from the twins. "Do you two know anything about where the kitchens are?" he asked.

Fabian thought for a moment. "Only that they're near the Hufflepuff dormitories in the basement. They always go through that hallway after dinner." He pointed to an entrance on the opposite side of the Great Hall.

"Thanks," James said. As they returned to their seats, Sirius grinned at one of the cute girls and she blushed.

"How did you do that?" James asked, astounded, once they were sitting beside Peter again.

"Do what?" Sirius said, returning to his biscuit.

"Don't give me that, you made that girl blush just by looking at her!"

"I dunno," Sirius said honestly. "She was pretty though." He glanced at a girl at the Ravenclaw table. "But she's no Xenia Zima."

"What about her?" James said. Peter was looking back and forth between the two of them in awe.

"Look at her!" Sirius gestured. "She's a foxy lady! She knows she's a cute little heartbreaker1," he sang. James gaped at him.

"You listen to Jimi Hendrix?" Remus said from behind him.

"Remus! You've returned!" Sirius said. "We didn't expect you back so soon!"

"Yes, well my mother's episode was not as bad this time," Remus explained. "Your parents are both wizards," he said to Sirius. "How do you know Muggle music?"

"My uncle Alphard travels the world and brings back interesting Muggle items for Andromeda and I. My parents don't know about it, they would probably disown all of us," Sirius said, looking over to the Slytherin table, as if Narcissa might be listening in. "He gave me a handheld radio and put a spell on it so it can work without electricity. Andromeda has a record player."

"A record player is the only way to listen to music," Remus said fervently, sitting beside Sirius, "short of seeing a performance. What have you heard on her record player?"

"She has played Creedence Clearwater Revival for me," Sirius said. "I quite liked that. I've heard Led Zeppelin, that was fantastic too. Also – "

"I don't know why you would choose to listen to Muggle music," James interrupted, looking put out that he had not been included, "when you could just listen to the Wizarding Wireless Network. Muggle music is boring."

"Wizarding music isn't terrible," Sirius said. "It isn't anything special. It doesn't have the sense of wonder that Muggle music has. It doesn't have the grit that Creedence Clearwater Revival has."

"Have you ever been to a Toadstools show?" James asked. "If not, you don't know what you're missing out on."

"What do you think, Peter?" Remus asked and they all fell silent.

Peter looked shocked at being asked for his opinion. For an extended moment he sat with his mouth agape, then he said, "I like wizard music."

"Alright Peter!" James said triumphantly.

At the same time, Sirius said, "Peter, you swine!"

Just then the warning bell rang and they abandoned the remains of their breakfast. Sirius put a biscuit in his pocket and they hurried, not wanting to be late for double Defense Against the Dark Arts.

They were continuing to practice defensive spells, and most students had now mastered the Disarming Spell. As such, they had moved on to the Smokescreen Spell. Dawlish had apparently learned from their first class and had them practice the spell two at a time. The first student would cast the Smokescreen Spell and the second would try to Disarm the first. The effectiveness of the Smokescreen Spell was gauged by the second student's ability to aim his or her spell at the first.

After a quick lunch they went to Transfiguration, then Potions. Sirius and James were not terribly interested in Potions. Their inattentiveness often resulted in catastrophe, so most often Remus would team up with Peter in order to make satisfactory potions.

This was another class they had with the Slytherins, and the only one at which Snape seemed to excel over them.

James and Sirius would sit in the back of the classroom, scrawling notes to each other and stifling giggles as James' cauldron emitted thick green smoke.

Remus and Peter would sit at the table in front of them and sweat, desperate to make a passable potion.

Snape would partner with Lily, and together they had already earned Slughorn's favor. They were easily the best Potions team in the class.

"Will you look at the pristine blue sheen on that Forgtfulness potion!" Slughorn would croon after observing Lily and Snape's cauldron.

After Potions they endured the last class of the day, History of Magic. The tortoise-like teacher would drone on, completely unaware of the class' lack of attention. Sirius had yet to stay awake for the entirety of one of Professor Binns' classes. During this particular one, he awoke with a start to giggles from his classmates. He raised his head from its resting position on Peter's shoulder.

"I suppose we now know who it is that snores at night," James whispered to him.

"What about Remus?" Sirius contested. "He's sleeping too!" He pointed at the sandy haired boy beside James, whose head was on the desk, tucked between his arms.

"Yes," said James. "But as you can see, Remus is sleeping quietly. You, on the other hand, make enough noise to wake the dead."

Sirius wanted to argue the point, but it was a fact that everyone else in class aside from Remus was now awake.

Sirius yawned and stretched. "Fine. Wake me up when class is over," he said, returning to his cozy position involving Peter as his pillow.

They returned to the common room that night after dinner and Remus went straight to dormitory to sleep. The plan was to wait until everyone else had gone to bed.

Around eleven, the last seventh year said goodnight and James ran up the boys' steps to grab his cloak. He threw it around the three of them and they set off for the Great Hall.

As they crept through the hallway that Fabian had mentioned, they became aware of the changing scenery and knew they had to be close to the kitchen. Barrels were stacked before the corridor walls, portraits depicted food, and Sirius was sure he could smell some of the pudding from dinner.

"I wonder whether it is hidden just like that secret passage from last night," James said. "These paintings with food on them can't be a coincidence."

After confirming that they were completely alone in the corridor, they decided to risk removing the cloak so they could fan out and study the paintings for clues.

Sirius didn't know what they expected to find by this. He was gazing at a painting of a bowl of fruit and thinking just how hungry he was. The smell of the pudding caused his stomach to growl. He gripped the frame, wondering if maybe it would swing open. It would not budge.

"This is stupid," he said, letting his hand come to a rest on the painting. "We don't know where it is, and we don't know if we've overlooked it because we might not know when we've found it!"

"I'm certain we're on the right track," James said. "We will find it if it takes all night!"

"The smell is definitely strongest in this hallway," Peter agreed. "It has to be near here."

A voice from out of sight said, "Now just what are three first years doing out of bed at midnight?" Sirius jumped wildly in surprise and banged his head on a torch bracket. An older boy with straw colored hair and a Prefect badge pinned to his Hufflepuff robe sloped toward them from behind one of the piles of barrels.

While Sirius rubbed the back of his head, James said quickly, "We got lost trying to find our dormitory."

"You don't need to make up stories," the boy said with a smile. "You've been here long enough to know how to find your dormitory. Are you trying to get to the kitchen?"

"How did you know?" Sirius said, feeling there was no point in denying it now.

"That's the only reason other Houses come down this way," the boy said conversationally. "And because you're standing right next to it." He nodded to Sirius.

Sirius looked up at the painting with the bowl of fruit, wide-eyed. "We were that close?" he said.

"How do we get in?" James insisted.

The boy chuckled. "You waste no time," he said. "I'm Sturgis Podmore. Introduce yourselves."

"James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and I'm Sirius Black." Sirius pointed at each boy in turn. "How do you know how to get in there?" he asked.

"All Hufflepuffs do," Sturgis said simply.

"Will you tell us?" Sirius said.

"Tickle the pear."

"What?" James said incredulously.

"Tickle the pear," Sturgis repeated.

Sirius did as he was told. The pear giggled and turned into a green handle. Sirius opened the door and peered inside. "This is it!" he grinned. Peter and James quickly shuffled behind him to get inside. "Cheers, mate!" Sirius said to Sturgis with a wave, and shut the door behind him.

They were in an enormous room, full of gleaming pots and pans. Eight house elves trotted to them and bowed. "Do sirs wish for food?" one asked.

"Yes please!" James said.

Peter goggled at the large tray of food that was brought forth to them. "I've never seen a house elf before," he said. "When do you sleep?" he asked one of them.

"We only sleeps when work is done!" it squeaked.

"This is fantastic!" Sirius said, gobbling down a large slice of cake. "Do you have any more of those chocolate eclairs from dinner? Remus loves those."

They compiled a large supply of desserts into a bag for Remus, thanked the house elves, and left, making sure to put the cloak back on before they opened the door.

The fire had burned down to embers by the time they returned to the common room. James stowed the cloak away in his robes and Peter and Sirius carried the load of food up the steps together.

"Remus!" Sirius hollered as they barged loudly through the door to their room.

"Wake up, sleeping angel!" James said, throwing a balled-up pair of socks at Remus' head. Remus did not stir.

Sirius released his end of the snacks, causing Peter to stumble forward with the weight of the bag. "I've an idea," he said to the other two, and pulled the hangings on Remus' bed post all the way back. He leaned in until he was only a few inches from the sleeping boy's face. Then he belted out, "People stared at the makeup on his face. Laughed at his long black hair, his animal grace."

Sirius leapt onto the bed and sang even louder, "The boy in the bright blue jeans jumped up on the stage, and Lady Stardust sang his songs of darkness and disgrace. And he was alright, the band was all together. And he was alright, the song went on forever. And he was awful nice, really quite out of sight, and he sang all night long2."

"Remus," James said, for Remus had cracked his eyes open, "if you don't wake up I fear he _will_ sing all night long."

Remus laughed and stretched. He looked up at Sirius. "How could I resist a serenade of David Bowie?" he asked.

"It ain't easy," Sirius said with a smirk from his stance on Remus' bed.

"If you've had quite enough of your silly Muggle songs!" James, who was clearly the one who'd had enough, said loudly. "We have got treats for you." He swept his arm behind Sirius' ankles and pulled them out from underneath him. Sirius fell backwards off the bed and thudded onto the floor on his backside.

"What sort of treats?" Remus asked, and Peter carried the bag to the bed and opened it before him.

Sirius latched onto James' legs until James fell, clawing at bedsheets, to the floor. James clambered on top of him, trying to pin him down. "We found the kitchens!" James said.

Sirius rolled until he was on top. As he sat on James' stomach, he said, "We brought all of your favorites."

"We know you're worried about your mother," Peter said.

James looped an arm around Sirius' leg and lifted him enough to wriggle out. He tried to sit on Sirius' stomach, but Sirius grabbed James' arm and twisted it behind him, pushing James' face into the floor. "We thought some desserts might cheer you up," he said, as James squirmed, fully pinned. "Say you like to snog Goblins," he said to James.

"No!" said James, who was turning pink with the strain of trying to escape.

"Say it," Sirius said, twisting James' arm a little bit more.

"Fine, I like to snog Goblins!" James said, and Sirius released him, laughing.

"You two heard him," Sirius said. "Three witnesses to your profession of love for those adorable little bank clerks."

"You would break the rules for me?" Remus said.

"Of course, mate," James said, rubbing his shoulder.

"That's not saying much, as we'd break the rules for no reason at all," Sirius said.

"But we would explore the secrets of the castle for you," Peter said.

Remus smiled. "Thank you," he said quietly. He took a large bite out of an éclair. "I hope you didn't have to kiss any Goblins to get these."

"Nobody made him do it," Sirius said. "He did it of his own volition."

James dived at Sirius.

Foxy Lady, Jimmy Hendrix

Lady Stardust, David Bowie


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

A bitter chill passed over the castle as November was drawing to a close. Most students took to wearing their heavy cloaks in the corridors. There was a constant struggle in Gryffindor common room to sit in the chairs nearest the fireplace.

Ravenclaw had flattened Slytherin in the first match of the season, with a score of 180 to 30. Such an embarrassing defeat meant that the Slytherin House was much quieter than usual.

Sirius was fully enjoying this subdued behavior. There was a distinct decrease in the frequency of his run-ins with family friends in the hallways. Even Narcissa had left him alone recently.

This was a welcome reduction in stress which allowed Sirius to focus on activities that were important to him, such as messing about on brooms with James, listening to Muggle music on his radio with Remus, playing chess with Peter (who demolished Sirius in every game almost to the point of statistical improbability), and generally finding ways to have fun with his new friends.

On a Friday morning before Transfiguration, Sirius was eating breakfast and finishing an essay on the Transformation Formula. He was not yet joined by the other boys. He was adding the final touches to his essay when the owl post arrived. He paid little attention until a nondescript letter dropped in front of him from an owl he didn't recognize. Chewing thoughtfully on a pancake, he glanced around warily, then slit it open.

Dearest Cousin,

I have been most displeased to hear of your unfortunate Sorting through secondary parties. I had assumed that upon experiencing such a shameful outcome, you would have felt compelled to seek advice from me, or at very least, my sisters. I had hoped that you had not forgotten my message from two Christmases ago. Yet, my sources inform me that you have made questionable alliances.

I must say, I am very concerned about your behavior. The Sirius I know wants to make his family happy, which you have most certainly not been doing. Your parents have placed me in charge of ensuring that you grow up to be the heir that this family needs you to be. I have assured them that I will not tolerate any more foolishness from you.

I don't know how much you remember from Halloween last year, so I wanted to inform you that I saw you pour something into Regulus' drink. I don't know whether or not it was poisonous, but he vomited several times that night because of what you did.

This is your first lesson: we NEVER harm our own blood. If you hex anyone at Hogwarts I will not bat an eye, but if you harm anyone in our family, you will leave me no choice but to take drastic action.

Do not do anything stupid before Christmas. Come home during break and I will take you under my wing and teach you how to earn your mother's love by being a proper Black.

Eternally your mentor,

Bellatrix

"What have you got there, mate?" James asked, sitting beside him.

"You look paler than usual," Remus said, looking at him with concern. "Is it bad news?"

"It's just a letter from my cousin," Sirius said shortly. "It's nothing." He folded the letter before James could try to swipe it from him and tucked it into his pocket.

His heart was pounding. What would they say if they saw the letter? They surely would not want to be his friend any more. Anyone who would poison their own brother was not worthy of friendship. But he couldn't remember performing such a terrible act. They may bicker and argue, but he loved his brother. Sure, he had injured Regulus before, but it was never intentional. Sometimes he would succumb to anger and lose control, and it was then that he would cause harm to Regulus. How could he do something like that and not remember it?

He felt his heart grow cold with dread at the thought that he had to go home for Christmas in less than a month. He would be facing his parents for the first time since being Sorted into Gryffindor. Now they had suddenly decided that Bellatrix would be his disciplinarian.

"Are they angry at you for being friends with Muggleborns again?" James asked. "They don't know what they're talking about. Don't listen to them, mate."

"Yeah," Sirius said listlessly, feeling as though he was watching from a distance while someone else controlled his body. He stood up from the table. "Yeah. Don't listen. That will do the trick."

"What are you doing?" Remus asked, but Sirius hardly heard. He walked away with no clear idea where he was going.

He kept running through the contents of the letter in his mind. He was certain that he did nothing to harm Regulus that night. On the other hand, he had been inebriated on Goblin wine, so was he really sure of anything that had happened? And the question remained, why, of all things, would he use _poison_?

Perhaps he had been angry. He didn't always remember the things he did while angry. He had once flown into a blind rage because Regulus had burned his favorite Muggle book, Long Day's Journey Into Night, by Eugene O'Neill. He had no recollection of the events that followed. It had been Bellatrix who pulled him aside and told him that he had killed Regulus' pet rabbit.

Sirius had retrieved the animal from the attic where it was hidden. He cried when he saw that its neck had been snapped. He sat alone with it for several hours, then dug a grave in the garden using his hands.

"Sirius, are you coming to class?" Remus was alone. Sirius had the impression that they had split up to find him.

"Yes," Sirius said decisively. He felt he owed Remus an explanation. "I just needed quiet so I could think."

"Okay," said Remus. "Are you alright?"

"No," Sirius said. "I don't want to go home for Christmas."

Remus gave him a sympathetic look. "It's only for a short time," he reasoned. He hesitated, then put his arm around Sirius' shoulder. "We'll be here when you get back."

"I know," Sirius said appreciatively, "but I don't dread it any less."

"You left your essay at the breakfast table." Remus handed him the parchment. They began walking up the corridor toward the Transfiguration classroom.

"Thanks," Sirius said. Then he blurted out, "What is your mother like?"

Remus looked up at Sirius. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Are you referring to what it's like having a Muggle for a mother?"

"No," Sirius said. "Nothing like that. I mean, is she nice?"

Remus thought for a moment on how to respond. "Yes," he said with a smile. "She would never want to harm a living creature. She gives me chocolate and makes the foods I like."

"She sounds lovely," Sirius said. "May I meet her sometime?"

"Maybe," Remus said, looking down at the floor. They turned and entered the classroom.

"Black! Lupin! You're late!" snapped Professor McGonagall. Sirius hadn't even heard the bell ring. "Detention tonight, eight o-clock."

"But Professor," Sirius said, "it wasn't Remus' fault he was late. He was only trying to find me."

"He should have stopped looking ten minutes ago when class started!" McGonagall said. "Now sit down before it becomes a second detention!"

The two boys took their seats beside James and Peter and shared a bewildered look that communicated the question, _what put her in such a bad mood_?

It didn't bother Sirius to receive a detention, but he knew Remus had never broken a school rule before. He felt bad being the reason Remus had gotten in trouble.

"How was your detention?" James asked when the two boys returned to the common room that night.

Sirius shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "We had to scrub the floor of the Great Hall without magic. It wasn't terrible."

"You might say that," Remus said. "My arms are killing me. I'm going to bed."

"That sounds awful," said Peter, shivering at the thought.

"It was no game of Quidditch," Sirius admitted. "My hands are rubbed raw. It could have been worse though." He didn't admit that it had felt quite cathartic. Now that he had stopped cleaning, his mind drifted back to the letter from Bellatrix. "I'm going to bed as well."

James looked disappointed. "You don't want to play after hours Quidditch tonight?" he asked.

"No, I'm tired. Maybe another night." He went upstairs before James could protest.

Remus was already asleep. Sirius didn't bother to change into his night clothes, instead he collapsed into his bed immediately. Bits and pieces of memory from last year's Halloween flitted in and out of his mind. He tried to concentrate on moments that he spent with Regulus that night. He could remember Regulus crying, but he couldn't remember why.

Sirius was still awake when James and Peter entered the dormitory. He lay quite still, not wanting to be questioned.

After hours of tossing and turning he fell into an uneasy sleep, punctuated by dreams of dead rabbits, Bellatrix looking disappointed, and Regulus crying. He woke up early in the morning in a cold sweat feeling distinctly unrested.

December arrived, and with it rose a constant state of semi panic for Sirius. He was barely resting at night and sleeping through so many classes that James began taking notes for him.

Remus went home to his mother again that month. It was becoming so periodic that Sirius, James and Peter were beginning to expect it to happen. When Peter asked Remus what illness his mother had, Remus' face drained of all color and he muttered something about "needing to finish the Potions homework", before racing off to the library.

"This might sound outrageous," James said during History of Magic when Remus was absent, "but do you think he might not be telling the truth about his mother? Sirius!" He jabbed Sirius hard in the side with his finger and Sirius sat up quickly.

"Whassat?" he said. "I wasn't sleeping."

"Your eyes are still closed. Pay attention for a minute. I said, do you think Remus is lying about his mother being sick?"

"I dunno, mate," Sirius said, finding it difficult to gather his thoughts. "I guess it seems odd. But why would he lie about that?"

"I don't know," James said, giving him a strange, sideways glance. "Why would any friend lie about what was happening to them?"

Sirius shifted uncomfortably. "Don't jump to conclusions," he said. "You have no evidence to back up your accusations."

"I just think," James pressed on, "that if someone has something going on with their home life, they should share it with their _friends_. After all, friends are there to help each other out."

"Maybe he knows telling his friends won't do any good," Sirius hissed. "Maybe he knows they'll think less of him if he tells them. Maybe telling them won't change a damn thing that is going on at home."

James glared at him. "That is bollocks and you know it," he said.

"Wait," said Peter, looking between the two of them. "Are we talking about Remus or Sirius?"

"Professor!" Sirius said loudly. Professor Binns appeared baffled at the idea of being spoken to. "I'm not feeling well. I'm going to the hospital wing."

"Very well then," Binns said, and dove right back into his droning tale.

Sirius threw all of his books haphazardly into his bag and strode out without another word. History of Magic was the last class of the day, and he was not interested in eating dinner. He went straight up to the dormitory and fell asleep in his bed too quickly to notice that he was not alone.

The evening before the holidays began, Sirius was too jittery to pay attention to anything that was happening around him. While Remus and Peter played a game of Exploding Snap in the common room, Sirius sat in a chair facing the fire with his eyes unfocused. He didn't even flinch when the cards suddenly exploded and Peter ran the length of the common room with his robes on fire until a laughing fourth year put it out for him.

He went down to dinner with the other three but couldn't eat anything. The other students were chatting excitedly about the end of the term and plans they had for the holidays. James earned himself a detention upon return to school when he jinxed Snape to dance uncontrollably after Snape insulted Remus' parentage.

Peter was rambling on and on about all the wonderful desserts his mother would make for him for Christmas. Lily was talking about showing her sister some photos she had taken during the term. Her explanation that Muggle photos were completely still was met with confusion from others.

"Why would anyone want a photo that didn't move?" Peter asked aloud as she showed her friends the magically moving pictures she had taken.

They were headed for Hogsmeade, where their parents would be picking them up, when James tried again to pry information from Sirius.

"You've been acting strangely ever since you received that letter in the post. Now you're sleeping all the time and you barely speak to any of us. What was in that letter?"

"It doesn't matter!" Sirius shouted.

Before James could speak, Remus interrupted. "Leave him alone, James," he said reasonably. "If he doesn't want to tell you he doesn't have to." Sirius opened his mouth to speak and Remus said to him, "And you're being unnecessarily secretive, Sirius, we're not stupid."

"Fine," said James irritably. He was frosty with Sirius for the rest of the trip.

In too short of time, they arrived at Hogsmeade station and then disembarked. Sirius watched James hug his parents. Remus' mother kissed him on the forehead. Peter's father clapped him on the shoulder. Sirius' parents weren't present.

Bellatrix was waiting for him. She watched him observe his friends' interactions with their families. "Aww," she said. "Did you want me to give you a kiss?" She puckered her lips and made a smacking noise.

"Don't," Sirius said. He could feel his face burning.

"That's what you want, isn't it?" she said. "I can see it in your eyes. It's pathetic. Don't be weak like your friends."

"I'm not weak," Sirius said, eyebrows furrowed.

"Sirius," she said placatingly. "You are my favorite little cousin. Haven't I always said that? I know you have the strength to be a powerful wizard, you simply need to let go of this weakness that you have in your heart. Now, I have some business to attend to before we carry on to your parents' house. Take hold of my arm."

Sirius did as he was told. Bellatrix Apparated them to a neighborhood he didn't recognize. She steered him down the street and into the backyard of one of the houses. She opened the cellar door and they descended the steps into a dark room.

A group of people he mostly knew to be her friends were speaking in hushed tones. It seemed as though they were the last to arrive, but just then a hooded man entered, and it was clear that it was he whom they had been awaiting. Silence fell immediately.

"My supporters," the man spoke, and Sirius instantly felt the hairs on the back of his neck raise. "I am most pleased to see those of you who have decided to join me tonight. Let us stand side by side as brothers while we eradicate the plague that has befouled wizardkind. But I sense that there is one among us who is not one of mine."

"My Lord," Bellatrix said reverently, pushing Sirius forward in front of her. "He is my cousin, and the heir of the Black family. I have brought him as a representative of our purest bloodline."

"He does not interest me," the man said dismissively. "He does not think as we do. He is a blood traitor, almost as worthless as the Mudbloods he associates with."

"My Lord," Bellatrix protested. "You know the purity of our blood is unparalleled. I can fix him."

"Show me your dedication," the man ordered.

Bellatrix raised her wand and pointed it at Sirius. He reached for his wand – " _Crucio_!" she said.

Sirius crumbled to the floor. He screamed more loudly than he thought possible. Surely dying was less painful than this. Every inch of his skin was on fire, time slowed down, the only thing he knew was pain.

And then it stopped. Sirius lay whimpering on the floor.

"Now get out," the man said.

"My Lord – " Bellatrix started.

"Leave now."

Sirius felt his body leave the ground. He was being magically lifted from the room. Once they were outside, she lowered him down into the grass. "Get up," she spat.

He tried, his whole body was trembling so violently that it was difficult to put his feet beneath him. His vision was blurred. With immense effort, he managed to stand.

She gripped his arm tightly and Apparated them back to Number 12, Grimmauld Place, directly into his bedroom. As soon as they landed she released her grip on his arm and shoved him to the floor. "You disgust me," she said. "I was right to call you weak."

"I'm sorry," he said, though he wasn't certain why he was apologizing. But she had already left.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"Sirius, wake up." The owner of the voice kicked him in the stomach.

Sirius groaned. Why did everything hurt?

 _Oh,_ he thought. _Last night_. He was still laying on the floor of his bedroom. A thin, black, feminine shoe was rearing back to kick him again.

"I'm awake," he said.

"Get up," Bellatrix ordered. "You don't get to sleep in. Be downstairs in the kitchen in five minutes." She left with a swish of her robes.

Sirius slowly stood up. He saw his reflection in the mirror. He had bags under his eyes and his skin was paler than it usually was. He didn't look like his normal self.

He wanted nothing more to crawl under his covers and sleep the day away, but he knew Bellatrix would not let that happen. He looked at his clock. It was 5:00am.

He crept noiselessly down the steps. He stopped on the floor below when he heard noises coming from Narcissa's room. Curiosity momentarily got the best of him and he peered through her open door.

Narcissa was naked on the bed and Lucius Malfoy was on top of her, thrusting and grunting. She seemed to be enjoying it. Sirius quickly continued down the steps and tried to shake the mental image from his head. He'd never seen anyone having sex before, and had not been hoping that his cousin would be the first naked woman he ever saw.

He entered the kitchen and Bellatrix was waiting for him. "We're going on a little picnic today," she said. "Narcissa and Lucius are coming with us."

Sirius reached into a basket on the countertop and grabbed an apple. As he opened his mouth to take a bite, Bellatrix said, " _Putrefacio_!" The apple shriveled and blackened until he was holding a rotted piece of fruit. "You don't eat until I say you eat," she said sweetly. "Come, let us see if Narcissa and Lucius are ready."

Narcissa did not see Bellatrix or Sirius standing in her doorway, as she was lying on her stomach facing away from them. Malfoy was standing at the end of the bed between her legs and his backside was rhythmically bucking. They were both moaning loudly.

It didn't feel right to stare, but Sirius found he couldn't look away. He felt a funny sensation that he couldn't describe and had never felt before. It wasn't until the loudness of their moaning reached an apex and Malfoy gave a great final heave before relaxing his stance that Bellatrix spoke up. "Get dressed, Narcissa," she said. "It is time to go."

Malfoy turned and realized that Bellatrix and Sirius were present. Panting, he winked at Sirius and slapped Narcissa's rump.

The sun was rising by the time they left. They traveled by Floo to an old country house owned by a friend of Malfoy's. it was extremely warm inside the house and Sirius did not want to leave, but Bellatrix had other ideas. She ordered them into the cold outside.

Before them was a tall forest. Bellatrix led the way, striding in. Sirius followed her and Narcissa and Malfoy brought up the rear.

"Where are we going?" Sirius asked.

"You don't remember this place?" Bellatrix said, looking at him with her eyebrow arched. Sirius frowned. It looked familiar, but he wasn't certain. "Then don't ask questions."

They marched on for three quarters of an hour, stopping only when a squirrel chittering in a tree surprised Bellatrix and she shot the same spell at it which she had used on Sirius' apple. It keeled over and crumbled into dust.

At last, they arrived at a lake which was frozen solid. The surface glistened in the sunlight. It sparked something in Sirius' memory.

He was six years old and frolicking in the water with Regulus. The water was so clear he could see straight to the bottom. His three cousins were present, although Andromeda and Narcissa sat on the edge, only dipping their feet in the water. Bellatrix startled Sirius when she swam up behind him and grabbed him suddenly by the shoulders, shouting, "Got you!" His exclamation of surprise melted away into laughter as they tussled about in the water.

They had been here when he was even younger as well. He was three years old, and Regulus had been deemed too young to play unsupervised with them. Bellatrix and Andromeda were playing in the water and let their attention drift away from him. Sirius couldn't yet swim very well and slipped under the surface of the water. He was beginning to lose consciousness when he felt Bellatrix's hand coil around his middle and pull him to the surface. As he took big gulps of air she hugged him tightly and gently stroked his head. "It's okay," she had whispered into his ear. "I've got you."

They hadn't been to this lake in years, and yet Sirius yearned to swim in it again. He knelt down and brushed away some of the snow that coated the ice. Despite it being frozen, he could still see the bottom of the lake.

"Stand back," Bellatrix said. She pointed her wand at the lake and uttered a spell. The ice and snow melted away. Sirius dipped his hand in the water. It was hot to the touch.

They stripped down to their undergarments, as they were accustomed to do when he was younger, then hastened to get into the water and warm up.

After trudging through the cold snowy woods, it was a great soothing relief to soak in the hot water. Sirius felt the aches and pains from the previous night loosen and the tension he had felt for weeks began to recede.

Lucius had pinned Narcissa to one leg of the wooden dock and was passionately expressing his feelings for her. As his hand caressed her inner thigh, Sirius turned away and tried to ignore the sensation that was creeping through his intestines again.

"Sirius, are you hungry?" Bellatrix called from the other side of the dock.

"Famished," Sirius said, swimming over to her.

She reached up into the bag she had left on top of the dock near their clothes and removed a plate of chicken. She tossed a chunk into the air towards Sirius and he caught it in his mouth. She did this several times and not once did he fail to catch it.

Being in the water gave Sirius an overwhelming sense of contentment that he couldn't explain. He loved the salty smell, the feeling of tiny fish darting around his legs, the knowledge that survival within it was determined by one's ability to stay above it, and the fun of getting dirty, which was offensive to his mother's every sensibility. It was perhaps because of his mother's distaste for anything less than spotlessly clean that Sirius felt innately drawn to thick mud puddles, unidentifiable goop, and anything generally disgusting.

"Aren't you going to offer us chicken?" Narcissa pouted. "We're hungry too!"

"Sure," Bellatrix said, setting the chicken back down in the bag, fully re-submerging herself in the water, and swimming away from the dock. "Help yourself."

"That's fine," Narcissa said snidely. "Feed your little pet. We all know you're just m – ARGHH!" She screamed as a glob of pond scum hit her in the face, courtesy of Sirius. "That is abhorrent!"

Sirius laughed. Mid chuckle, he was hit in the face with another fistful of mud, this time thrown by Bellatrix. He responded in kind, and soon they were launching every form of lake gunk they could find at one another.

"You two are rotten!" Narcissa cried, hiding herself behind Malfoy in the hope that she would not become collateral damage. "You are a repulsive little boy!" she said to Sirius.

Afterwards, exhausted and filthy, they climbed out and Bellatrix dried them off with her wand. They hiked back to the country house and Flooed back to Number 12.

"We should ride brooms outside after supper!" Sirius said excitedly, looking back at Bellatrix, who was following him up the stairs. "I haven't been in the sky in ages." They had arrived at the entrance of his bedroom.

Bellatrix opened her palm and pushed him in the chest. He fell, backside first, to the floor with a thump. Closing the door, she said through the crack, "You will only eat once everyone else has eaten. It is the proper thing to do." She closed the door fully and locked it.

He lounged on his bed, feeling hungry, and stared at the walls around him. Grim green wallpaper lay beneath portraits of his ancestors, who watched him disapprovingly.

The Sirius Black before him had died in 1955, only a few years before Sirius had been born. As a result, his was the most recent portrait placed on the wall. Sirius Black XI often pontificated on how things had been in his youth and how much he'd accomplished by the time he was Sirius' age. On this evening he was speaking of the time he had burned his brother Phineas alive for supporting Muggle rights. He had been sixteen at the time, Phineas fifteen. He had snapped Phineas' wand, chased him around the cellar, cast a Dark spell, then taunted him while he screamed and was engulfed in flames.

Sirius thought of the painful events of the previous night. He wanted to share it, to get the events straight in his head, but he couldn't tell Regulus. If he told Regulus, it would inevitably get back to Bellatrix, and she would never forgive him.

Sirius sat up abruptly. He could write to James! He raced over to his desk and grabbed a fresh sheet of parchment.

Dear James,

I know you think I'm a bell-end lately, but I need to talk to you. Listen mate, last night Bellatrix took me to a neighborhood I didn't recognize after we left Hogsmeade Station. A group of her friends were gathered, led by a cloaked man. I don't know what sort of meeting it was, but he made it clear that I was not welcome. He called me a blood traitor and we had to leave. Whoever he was, he somehow knew me perfectly well.

I think what shook me the most was my cousin called him "My Lord"! Bellatrix is not the type to bow to anyone or be told what to do (not like any other Black you know, eh?)

Anyway, I hope you have a lovely Christmas and your relatives don't get too drunk and hex each other.

Sirius

He sealed the letter and opened his window. With a whistle, he called one of the owls up from their owlery. "Take this to James Potter at Godric's Hollow," he said.

As soon as the owl had flown out the window with his letter, the lock on his door clicked and Bellatrix entered. She was levitating a plate of mostly crumbs that had once been a meat pie. "Here's your dinner," she said and left, relocking his door as she went.

Sirius scarfed down the scraps, his howling stomach reminding him that he was still just as hungry as before. He crawled under his bed to the hole in the stuffing and retrieved the handheld radio. Ignoring the dust and cobwebs beneath his bed, he lay back on the wood floor and switched it on.

He lost track of time, lying under his bed, listening to Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Alice Cooper, John Lennon, The Rolling Stones, and anything else that played on the station. At some point during Jethro Tull's Locomotive Breath, his eyelids began to droop. Soon after, he slept with one arm under his head, snoring slightly.

"Oh my god. Oh my GOD! _Accio_!" Sirius jolted awake just in time to feel the radio slip from his fingers, still playing music. He tried to sit up and smacked his head on the bed frame. He fell back to the floor and clutched his throbbing temple.

Bellatrix was cursing at the radio and her inability to turn it off. Sirius' stomach had turned to lead. _Caught red-handed using a Muggle device_. For a second he thought of Phineas Black, set ablaze by his brother. In the next moment he heard a sickening crunch as Bellatrix stomped on his radio, crushing it.

Panicking, Sirius scrambled to crawl out the other side of the bed to escape, but Bellatrix uttered an incantation, and an invisible cord wrapped around his ankle. As she dragged him back toward her, Sirius clawed at the floor in a futile attempt to overpower the spell.

With her wand she lifted him from under the bed and into the air. She cocked her head and stared at him for a moment, thinking. "Let's go to the attic," she said.

The attic was accessed by a set of stairs between Sirius' and Regulus' rooms by means of pulling a cord. Bellatrix climbed the rickety steps, levitating Sirius in front of her. She flicked her wand and he sailed across the dark room, colliding with a statue. Before he felt anything, he heard the snap of his wrist breaking.

" _Lumos_ ," Bellatrix said, and her wand lit the room some fifteen feet away. She focused her beam on Sirius, who was trying to extricate himself from a pile of clothing beneath the statue without using his right arm.

"I have never felt so betrayed," she said quietly, and Sirius stopped and looked at her. "I thought I would treat you to a trip to the lake as a sign of no hard feelings from the night you met the Dark Lord. I thought I was being a good cousin." Then she suddenly spat, "Where did you get the device?"

"From school," Sirius said, almost as quickly as she had asked.

"From whom?"

"A Hufflepuff, I didn't know his name," Sirius lied.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. "You will point this Hufflepuff boy out to Rabastan Lestrange the day you get back to school. The matter will be settled. But what to do with you?"

"Please don't tell my mother," Sirius said. "She doesn't need to know about this."

"Oh I think she does," Bellatrix said. "I think I'll keep you here while I tell her." She waved her wand and ropes, this time visible, bound themselves around Sirius' ankles and shackled him to the wall upside-down.

"Don't, Bellatrix," Sirius said as the blood rushed to his head. But she had already gone down the steps and was closing the door of the attic.

Sirius closed his eyes. He thought about James, who was probably waking up by now, opening presents at the foot of his bed.

If he could just get through Christmas he could see his friends again. Once he returned, everything would be okay. He wouldn't have to think about Bellatrix or his mother's reaction upon hearing the news from Bellatrix, at least until summer vacation. Perhaps he could go to James' house over the summer…

Sirius was finding it more and more difficult to think properly. He was losing the feeling in his legs. With every pulse of his heart his wrist felt as though it was being stabbed.

Surely Bellatrix would return soon. Sirius thought he would gladly face his mother's rage every consecutive day until returning to school if only it meant he could be released from this hold. A steadily increasing headache was building in the back of his head. In an attempt to clear his head, he began to sing:

"Hangman, hangman, hold it a little while,  
I think I see my friends coming, riding many a mile.  
Friends, did you get some silver?  
Did you get a little gold?  
What did you bring me, my dear friends, to keep me from the Gallows Pole?  
What did you bring me to keep me from the Gallows Pole?1"

He fell silent when he realized it was becoming difficult to breathe. He fought to keep his eyes open. It was so dark in the attic, he didn't notice his vision getting hazy. He lapsed into unconsciousness.

Sirius awoke in complete darkness, disoriented, and falling. He hit the ground and became aware of several things simultaneously: he was still in the attic, he didn't know what time it was, or if it was even the same day, and all of his extremities were stiff, prickly and numb, except for his wrist, which had all of his body weight upon it.

He yelped in pain. His other limbs were so numb he couldn't even shift his weight off his wrist. The continuous spasm was so great he passed out again.

James was tearing Sirius' letter to pieces in front of him, then threw the scraps into the fire. "I don't want to hear these excuses," James said. "If you're going to associate with her then we can't be friends anymore."

"James," Sirius pleaded. "She's my family, she's the closest thing I have to an older sister. She looks out for me. Don't make me do this."

James turned his back to him. "You don't belong in Gryffindor House."

Sirius woke up with a gasp. At some point he had rolled off his wounded arm, it was folded atop his chest. He steadied his breath, then sat up.

His eyes were fairly adjusted to the darkness. He could see a plate in front of him with turkey bones on it, with only stringy bits of meat still attached. With his left arm, he pulled the plate to him and set to gnawing on each bone until there was no meat left.

He stood up, but wavered, and had to use the wall to steady himself. Slowly, he moved to the attic door. It opened, and Bellatrix appeared.

"Ah," she said flatly. "I thought you might have been dead."

"What did my mother say?" Sirius asked, his voice croaking. His lips were dry and cracked.

"Nothing," Bellatrix said. "She has given up on you."

Sirius did not immediately register this statement. "I need a glass of water," he said. He walked past her, down the steps. She did not try to stop him.

He filled a glass from the sink in his bathroom and drained it in two gulps. He refilled the glass and sat on his bed, but before he could drink it, he slumped back onto the bed and fell asleep.

The sun was setting when he woke up, aching, but feeling slightly more focused. He swung his leg onto the floor and recoiled. The glass he had been holding had spilled on the floor and left a very cold puddle. Cursing, he removed his wet socks and opened the curtain. There appeared to be a commotion in the backyard. He sighed, and decided to see what the fuss was about.

On his way, he stopped in the kitchen and grabbed an apple. He took a bite and savored it before going outside.

All the house elves and his family were surrounding the eldest elf, Pinky. She was trembling in the cold, snow was accumulating on her nose.

Sirius lowered his gaze as he approached his family. His mother turned and saw him. "Where have you been?" she asked. He stared, mouth slightly slackened. Did she really not know?

"It is time, Pinky," his father said. He gave no indication of having seen Sirius.

"Very well," said his mother. With one swift motion, she decapitated the elf.

Sirius stared at Pinky's head. Surely his mother had noticed his absence. How long had he been up there? What day was it?

Sirius' wrist was swollen and knotted enough now that it hurt to bend his elbow. He didn't remember falling to his knees, but the snow felt wonderful on his arm. He watched the head of the only elf who treated him nicely until he realized that no one else was still outside. With his left hand, he patted the cold elf head. "You weren't like them either, Pinky," he said. He went back into the house.

"Regulus," he said, leaning into his brother's room. Regulus was sitting on his bed, playing with a miniature broomstick.

"What do you want?" he said gloomily.

"To see you," Sirius said earnestly. "I haven't seen you all Christmas break."

Regulus scoffed. "Well you've been gone, haven't you!" he said. "First you had fun at the lake without me, then you take off until now? Why did you even bother coming? That's your typical behavior though, isn't it. Blow me off all break and then try to talk to me on New Year's as if you'd been here all along."

"New Year's?" Sirius said. "I'm going back tomorrow?"

Regulus threw the toy broomstick across the room. "Rub it in my face, why don't you? I hope your arm falls off, you stupid arsehole!" He punched Sirius in his swollen arm.

Sirius cried out and doubled over, cradling his wrist. He gagged and threw up the apple, along with all the water he'd drank.

"GET OUT!" Regulus yelled. Sirius ran away and into his own room. Regulus' door slammed behind him.

Sirius crawled into his bed and wrapped all of his blankets around him as tightly as he could bear. He stuffed his face into his pillow and sang at the top of his lungs:

"This is Ground Control to Major Tom  
You've really made the grade  
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear  
Now it's time to leave the capsule if you dare  
This is Major Tom to Ground Control  
I'm stepping through the door  
And I'm floating in a most peculiar way  
And the stars look very different today  
For here  
Am I sitting in a tin can  
Far above the world  
Planet Earth is blue  
And there's nothing I can do2."

Gallows Pole, Led Zeppelin

Space Oddity, David Bowie


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Sirius found his friends in the last compartment of the train. They were having a heated discussion, but they stopped when he entered.

"Sirius!" James jumped up and gave him a one-armed hug. "You never answered my owl. I wanted to talk to you about yours. I was telling Remus and Peter all about it."

"What owl?" Sirius asked. "I didn't know you responded to mine." He sat down across from Remus.

"That's strange," James said.

Remus was scrutinizing Sirius. "You look like you haven't had a good meal in a while," he said. "Are you alright?"

"You're one to talk," Sirius said, nodding at him. "You're looking a bit peaky, aren't you?"

"I've got some leftover turkey and stuffing I've brought along," Peter piped up. He offered the plate to the two boys.

Remus and Sirius stared for a moment, then laughed. "I will never again insult your food stockpiling skills, Peter," Sirius said, taking a chunk of meat. Remus did so as well.

"Sirius," James suddenly said. "Let me see your arm."

"What are you talking about?" Sirius said, trying to play it cool, but feeling his face redden. He finished his bite of turkey and held his arm out to James.

"No," said James, "your wand arm. You never eat with your left hand. Show me your wand arm."

Resigning to the fact that he could not hide it any longer, Sirius extended his right arm, wincing as he did so.

"Merlin," James breathed. "What the bloody hell happened to you?" He examined Sirius' wrist and Sirius recoiled in pain when he touched it.

"It was an accident," Sirius said quickly. "Bellatrix…accidentally broke it."

"Why did no one repair it?" Remus asked. "Or if they weren't capable, why did they not take you to see a Healer?"

"I don't know," Sirius snapped. "It's complicated. Will you please stop asking me questions about it?"

"It really isn't complicated," James said, raising his voice. "Healing someone who is hurt is a very simple concept, actually."

"Stop talking like you understand my family!" Sirius said, standing up and losing his temper. "I'm sorry my dear old mum doesn't give me hugs and kisses every time she sees me like yours does, James. I'm sorry they don't allow me to do whatever I please. My cousin is responsible for making sure I act properly. She broke my radio." His voice broke when he said the last part. He looked out the window so he wouldn't have to meet the other boys' gaze.

"Oh Sirius," Remus said softly. "I'm so sorry. I know how much you loved that radio."

Sirius met Remus' eyes. His expression was genuine. Sirius blinked quickly and turned to study the window again.

"That still doesn't explain – " James sputtered. "What about your arm?"

"Let it go, James," Remus said very quietly.

"Fine," said James. "As long as you go to the hospital wing and get it sorted out."

"I'm not going to the hospital wing," Sirius said flatly. "Pomfrey will just start asking questions."

"Well you can't very well go on without use of your arm!" James was raising his voice again. "Go on, try to do a spell! Try to levitate Peter's turkey plate right now!"

Sirius removed his wand from his pocket. Gingerly, he aimed it at Peter's plate. " _Wingardium Leviosa_ ," he said, but as he swished, a jolt of pain coursed through his arm. He dropped his wand and clutched his wrist. "Guess I'll have to learn spells lefty then," he said through gritted teeth.

James stared, agape. "You are the most stubborn prat I have ever met," he said. "If I have to knock you out and drag you to the hospital wing, I will."

"Right, James," Sirius said. "But you couldn't knock me out if both my arms and legs were broken. Scrawny git."

"Gormless troll."

"Snape-kisser."

James looked appalled.

"Boys, we're here," Peter said. Remus opened the compartment door and they exited.

"Okay, ground rules," James said, still looking offended. "You can't use that one, it isn't fair."

"Why not?" Sirius asked.

"Because there isn't anything that tops that! It's cheating!"

"It seems to me you're just jealous you didn't think of it first," Sirius said smugly. "If you weren't so busy snogging Snape you'd probably come up with better insults." They trudged through the snow back up to the castle.

"You're lucky your wrist is broken right now!"

"You're so intimidating James. I might have to sleep in the girls' dormitory tonight for protection."

"You couldn't stay in the girls' dormitory if you tried. Lily would hex you so hard you'd forget your middle name."

"Joke's on you, there," Sirius said. "My middle name isn't worth remembering."

They stood before the fireplace in the Great Hall, warming their fingers and toes. "I remember your middle name," Peter supplied helpfully. "Your mum shouted it to everyone in the Hall, it's Apollo."

"It's better than mine," James admitted. "I don't have one."

"What about you, Remus?" Sirius asked.

"Mine is John," Remus said.

"No it isn't," Sirius said. "That's so dull! Why would your parents give you a middle name like that?"

"Well I suppose 'Remus' was exciting enough for them," Remus said, the corners of his mouth twitching up in a smile.

"Well I don't buy it," Sirius said, "Remus Theodore Lupin, that sounds more likely."

"How about Remus Melvin Lupin?" James suggested.

"Remus Barnabus Lupin."

"That's a good one," said James. "I like Remus Major Lupin."

"Colonel Remus Major Lupin," Sirius corrected.

"Lieutenant Colonel Remus Major Lupin."

Remus shook his head. "You two are a major pain in my arse."

Peter choked on a bite of turkey. James dropped his owl cage and Herod escaped, flapping around James' face and squawking.

"Remus Tiberius Gracchus Lupin!" Sirius said. "I am telling your mother you said 'arse'!"

"Peter, you're such a bad influence on Remus," James said. "Shame on you."

"Alright there boys? You ought to be getting back to your dormitories now," Professor Dawlish said from behind them. "Sirius, I would like to speak to you for a moment. Go on you three, we won't be long."

Sirius nodded at the others and they set off for Gryffindor Tower. He turned to Dawlish. "What is it, Professor?" he said.

"I thought I might help you with that broken wrist you're currently sporting," Dawlish said. "Is it safe to presume you incurred this injury during your Christmas break? That is to say, not on the train ride here?"

"Yes sir," Sirius mumbled.

"I'm not one to pry into others' lives, unless I'm trying to catch a criminal, of course, but am I correct in assuming that you did not intend to take this to Madam Pomfrey to have it healed?"

"You are correct, sir," Sirius said stiffly. "It was a…family matter."

"Quite," Dawlish said. "What I am asking is, was this a physical wound or…otherwise?"

Sirius quirked an eyebrow.

"You see," Dawlish went on delicately, "I am not proficient in the art of curse breaking, but I am perfectly capable of mending a bone fractured by natural causes."

"It was from a natural cause, sir," Sirius said, his face reddening, not meeting his teacher's eyes.

"Very well then," Dawlish said. " _Episkey_."

Sirius' wrist immediately felt better. He opened and closed his fingers without feeling pain. "Thank you sir," he said.

"A very useful spell to learn," Dawlish said, tapping his nose. "Run along now, lad."

Sirius didn't need telling twice. He hurried up to Gryffindor Tower.

"He fixed it, did he?" Remus asked with a half-smile as Sirius showed the boys his healed wrist. "I suppose you didn't need Madam Pomfrey after all."

"Not at all," Sirius agreed. "Plus now it makes a wicked noise when I rotate my hand." He demonstrated this in Marlene's ear and his wrist made a distinct _pop_.

Marlene shrieked. "That is disgusting!" she said. "Let's go upstairs, shall we girls?" she said, and the girls followed her, casting looks of disapproval in his direction.

"Who is up for a game of Quidditch?" James asked. "We haven't played in an age, and when term starts the Gryffindor team will need it for practice."

"You don't need to ask," Sirius said. "It has been far too long since I embarrassed you on the Quidditch field."

"You embarrass yourself," James said, ruffling Sirius' hair. "Remus, Peter? Coming with?"

"No thanks, I'm tired," Remus said.

"I'll join you," said Peter, and he ran up the steps to get James' cloak.

It was the third week of January when Gryffindor played their first match against Hufflepuff. The boys shuffled their feet and rubbed their hands together to try to stay warm. Their breath misted in the air. The first year Gryffindors huddled together in the stands, which resulted in Marlene and Sirius being shoulder to shoulder and Mary MacDonald putting her arms around a furiously blushing Remus. Lily was beside Marlene, Alexis Fawley and Emmaline Vance were on Mary's other side, and Peter and James were in the middle of the group.

"May I introduce to you the adorable members of the Gryffindor team!" The commentator for the match was third year Bertha Jorkins of Ravenclaw, who was standing beside Professor McGonagall, holding a megaphone. "In descending order of cuteness, we have Chasers Frank Longbottom, Gordon Willerby, and Alice Fawley!"

Alexis cheered louder than the others when her sister's name was called. Alice swooped inside the pitch, and waved at Alexis when she passed by.

"We have Beaters Morgan Dowd and Davey Gudgeon, who is playing his first official match today! Go Davey! Keeper and Team Captain, John Anderson!"

Sirius and James cheered loudly at the mention of John Anderson. Marlene gave them a funny look. "What?" said Sirius. "We like him."

"Gryffindor team also has a brand new Seeker, Dax Fogerty! And here comes the Hufflepuff team! May I present your Chasers – "

"You fancy the team captain?" Marlene pressed.

"We don't _fancy_ him," James defended.

"Trust me, he is _very_ cool," said Sirius. "I once saw him use a hex on a Slytherin that caused him to grow fur all over."

"He is an inspiration," James sighed. Marlene rolled her eyes.

"Aaaaaand Fawley with the Quaffle, passes to Frank. I hear they're dating, can anyone confirm that? I'm certain I speak for many girls here when I say I would love a piece of Frank Longbottom."

"Focus on the game, Jorkins!" McGonagall warned.

"Back to Fawley, and – ouch. Hit by a Bludger from Hufflepuff's Edgar Bones. Hufflepuff takes control of the Quaffle – but intercepted by Frank! He's the kind of man who stands up for his woman! Passes to Willerby, back to Frank – Frank scores!"

The Gryffindors in the stands roared their approval. "Go Frank!" James, Sirius and Marlene yelled as loudly as they could.

"Sturgis Podmore of Hufflepuff has the Quaffle, aims, BLOCKED by Anderson! And the Quaffle goes back to Gryffindor!"

"Alright John Anderson!" Sirius and James hollered loudly enough that he turned from his post and gave them a funny look.

"By Merlin, did you see that?" James asked excitedly.

"I know, he looked at me!" Sirius said.

"Fawley with the Quaffle – what's this? Dax Fogerty is diving for the Snitch! And he's got it! The game ends, Gryffindor 160, Hufflepuff naught!"

The first-year girls were screaming and jumping up and down. Marlene grabbed the front of Sirius' robes and kissed him. When she pulled away, she looked as shocked as all the other first years, who had stopped cheering to witness the event.

"There," she nodded, as if that settled a matter. "Now maybe you'll forget about John Anderson."

Sirius was grinning lopsidedly. "Do that again," he said.

"No!" she said. "You're a stupid wanker!" She kissed him a second time. Then she slapped him and walked off in a huff, with the other girls following her.

"If she keeps doing that, she can say whatever she wants about me," Sirius said, rubbing his cheek where she had slapped him and watching her leave.

"Now this is just what I was talking about!" James said indignantly. "How do you do that? You didn't even do anything and she just kissed you! What does a bloke have to do around here to get a girl?"

Remus pointed toward the Quidditch pitch, where a group of girls surrounded John Anderson. "I think you have to play a sport they care about." Anderson was sitting on the box which held the Quaffle, Bludgers and Snitch, and a girl was in his lap with her legs wrapped around his middle.

James and Sirius stopped arguing and watched the two. Anderson's hands were caressing the girl's bottom.

"Have you ever seen anyone, you know, going at it?" Peter asked.

"No," said Remus evenly.

"No," said James wistfully.

"Yes," said Sirius. They all turned to look at him, but only briefly before returning to the scene on the pitch, where Anderson and the girl were now alone. "Lucius Malfoy and my cousin Narcissa. Over Christmas break she left her door open, I was walking by and heard noises, and, there they were." He shrugged.

"Wow," said Peter. "I wish I could see a naked dolly bird."

"You don't wish you could see your cousin naked though," said Sirius.

"Oh, I guess that's true," said Peter.

"We should go inside, it's rather cold, don't you think?" Remus said.

"Yeah," Sirius said.

No one moved. They were still transfixed on the scene below. The girl's blouse was unbuttoned.

"Maybe we can stay out here a little bit longer," James said. They nodded.

Now that Gryffindor had won, everyone was excited for the next match, which would be Gryffindor versus Slytherin. James was taking every opportunity when the teams weren't practicing to do so himself, with Sirius when he could. He was determined to make it on the team in their second year.

Sirius was not the best Keeper, as he tended to get bored and therefore distracted, but he played the position well enough that James could use him for practicing Chaser. Remus was not fond of flying, and as such, would rarely join them. Peter was abysmal, if he was with them he was usually in the stands watching them play.

"I reckon I might try out," Sirius said, retrieving the Quaffle after James had scored. "I could be a Beater."

"I've never seen you try it," James said. "We'll have to nick the Bludger next time so we can use it for practice. It would be the dog's bollocks if we both made the team!"

Sirius grinned and tossed the Quaffle back to James. "We'll be allowed to bring our brooms next year," he said. "Then we'll _really_ see who the better flyer is."

"We don't need to test that again," James said, successfully making the ball into the left hoop. "The previous results were conclusive."

"I dispute those results, on the basis that I was using a shite school broom," Sirius said. "When we rematch, we will be using the same type of broom, so there will be no error."

"Have it your way," James said, shooting for the middle hoop. This time, Sirius blocked it. "There will be no excuses when I beat you a second time." Sirius tossed the ball back to him and he paused. "Imagine you as a Beater."

"Well we all know I can take a good bashing," Sirius said. "And I'm excellent at falling, so there's that."

"True," said James. "Although I believe the goal would be for you to remain on your broom. On the other hand, I think there are enough girls already who want to snog you. The polite thing to do would be to leave some for me."

"You can have Gladys Gudgeon," Sirius said. "I'll have the rest."

"Gladys Gudgeon!? She's a troll!" James protested.

"Alright then, picky. Peter can have Gladys Gudgeon. I'll give you Bertha Jorkins, she's got dung for brains anyway. But you'd have to put up with her pining for Frank."

"No way. You do not get all the Gryffindor girls. Lily or Alexis, since you've already taken Marlene. Oh Merlin, tell me this doesn't mean she will be chumming with us now!"

"I don't think so," Sirius said. "I mean, we only kissed. That doesn't mean anything, right?"

"I think it means something to girls," James said. They landed and packed up their things, eager now, to return to the warmth of the castle. "So you don't like her?"

"I like kissing her," Sirius said. "I want to do more of that. But I don't want her chumming with us either. She would get in the way."

" _Expelliarmus_!" a voice pierced the darkness and James flew back ten feet. His wand fell into the grass, obscured.

"Snivellus, show yourself, you coward!" Sirius said, wand raised and eyes wide to try to make out shapes in the dark.

"I am not a coward!" Snape hissed. He stepped forward so Sirius could see him. "Potter and Black, out after curfew. What sort of trouble are you getting into?"

"You're out after curfew too, you stupid sod," Sirius said. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have found us. You see, there's a flaw in your logic."

"Oh I don't think so," Snape said. "You see, I am accompanied by an upper year student, working on a school project. We have permission to be out after curfew."

" _Petrificus Totalus_!" James said, having found his wand. Snape's arms snapped to his side and he fell to the ground, stiff as a board.

"That was a bad idea," said Rabastan Lestrange, emerging from the dark, pointing his wand at James. " _Stupefy_!" James' eyes closed and he crumbled to the ground. "Now," he said, turning to Sirius. "I believe you were given a task from Bellatrix, due upon your return to the school. You owe me a name."

"So you're making friends with first-years, how nice," Sirius said. "Couldn't find friends your own age? Pity, really."

" _Finite Incantatem_ ," Lestrange said, and Snape was released from his Full Body Bind. "Bellatrix suspected you were lying. I will take your lack of response as confirmation of that. She won't be pleased, I can assure you."

"Did you have a nice Christmas, Black?" Snape said with a cold smile. "Bellatrix told us how you spent most of your time shackled to a wall. I wish she had told me while it was happening. I would have paid anything to see that."

Sirius felt his anger rising. His wand arm was shaking. "You're pathetic," he said. "You would probably beg her to put you up there. She would never look at you, you greasy git."

"Funny," Snape said, "if I was a blood traitor, I don't think I'd be hurling insults."

" _Stupefy_!" Sirius said, pointing his wand at Rabastan, who fell to the ground. If he hadn't been so angry, he might have marveled at the fact that he had performed that spell correctly, despite having never attempted it before. Instead, without pausing, he hit Snape with another Full Body Bind.

Panting slightly, his ire receded and he took in his surroundings. James was unconscious a few feet from him. Sirius tried to levitate him, but his spell wasn't powerful enough to lift a person. He squatted down, put James' arms around his shoulders, and heaved forward so James' weight was on his back. Slowly, he made his way back to the castle.

The Invisibility Cloak was tucked into James' pocket, and Sirius didn't want to put him down, thinking he might not be able to pick him back up again. He was lucky, however, and made it back to Gryffindor Tower without incident. He set James down on one of the couches and ran up the steps to their dormitory.

"Remus!" he said loudly.

"What…what time is it?" Remus mumbled, his words muffled by his pillow.

Sirius pulled back the hangings on Remus' bed. "Wake up!" he said. "I need your help with a spell. Snape and Rabastan ambushed us, and Rabastan Stunned James! Get up!" He pulled back the covers and grabbed Remus by the leg, intending to drag him out of the bed.

Remus recoiled and growled a very guttural sound. Sirius was startled enough to let go of his foot. "If no one is dying, then it is not necessary to wake me up," he snarled. "If you try again, I will personally take every pair of Peter's sweaty socks and stuff them down your throat."

Fully taken aback, Sirius decided it might be best to pursue a different route. He ran down the boys' staircase and tried to ascend the girls'. To his surprise, a siren went off and the steps melted into a slide. He fell on his buttocks and slid backwards down the steps he had managed to climb.

Sleepy heads appeared at the top of the staircase. "Who tried to get up here?" a third-year girl asked.

Still on his backside at the bottom of the steps, Sirius waved. "I did," he said. "I'm looking for Lily."

Several giggles followed this, but Lily made her way to the front of the crowd. "What do you want, Sirius?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"I need your help with a spell. Mind getting your wand?"

Lily sighed and disappeared. She returned moments later with her wand and slid down the slide. The other girls dispersed, muttering things such as 'the nerve of some people, waking us up like that'.

Sirius stood up and led her to James. "He's been hit with a Stunner. Do you know the countercurse?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "So you haven't taken him to Madam Pomfrey, which means you were out doing something stupid that you shouldn't have been doing, and now you want _my_ help?"

Sirius ran a hand through his hair. "Well as it turns out, Remus is a bit of a nob when his sleep is disturbed – can't imagine why – and obviously you're the best at hexes and jinxes in our year. You're book smart too. I thought you might know what the countercurse was."

The corner of Lily's mouth twitched up briefly in a smile. "Well I thought you would ask for Marlene," she said.

"Why on Earth would I ask for Marlene?" Sirius said, bewildered. "I've just told you you're the one who knows hexes and jinxes."

"Well aren't you two dating now?" Lily said. "She would be chucking books at you right now if she knew you hadn't asked her. Luckily, she sleeps like the dead – "

"Who says we're dating?" Sirius said. "We kissed twice, that doesn't mean we're dating. I can't be arsed to bother with that sappy, mushy business. Who would want that?"

Lily raised her eyebrows. "I think Marlene does," she said in a sing-song voice.

Sirius put a hand over his face. "Oh Merlin," he said. "You girls are a right pain in the arse, you know that? Can you please just undo the Stunner on James?"

"I've never tried it before," Lily said, "but I know the spell. _Rennervate_." Nothing happened. She leaned over James, pointed her wand at him once more, and repeated, " _Rennervate_."

James opened his eyes. He stared at Lily, who was still hovering over him. "Cheers," he said. He had a very odd look on his face.

Sirius was still preoccupied. "I said the same thing to James," he said. "I don't want her chumming with us. That would be weird. She's not my friend, she's just a girl who kissed me. Why does she have to be complicated?"

Lily sighed and stood up. "You should practice some healing spells tonight," she advised him. "You might be needing them tomorrow morning."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"I thought that was a decent Forgetfulness Potion you brewed," Remus said as he and Sirius walked through the corridor on their way to breakfast. "It was a shame James dropped his glasses in it."

"You know, I honestly don't think it would have exploded if he hadn't done that," Sirius said. "He really has a problem with dropping his glasses in potions – "

"Sirius Black, you arsehole!" Marlene grabbed Sirius' collar and pushed him roughly into the stone wall of the corridor.

"I'll just head down to breakfast then," Remus said.

"Why are you telling people we're not dating?" she demanded.

"Because we're not," Sirius said. He marveled at how close in height they were and how strong she was. There weren't many twelve-year-olds who could push him around. He was surprised, as well, to discover how much he enjoyed her shoving him into the wall. He leaned in and kissed her.

She returned the kiss for a moment, then pulled away and slapped him. "We ARE dating!" she said. "You had better do something for Valentine's day!"

"I won't," Sirius said. "But we could kiss later if you like. See you, Marlene." He continued on his way to the Great Hall, leaving Marlene looking as though she would hex the first person she saw.

"I don't understand you, Sirius," Remus said when Sirius had sat down to eat. "If I had attention like that from a girl, I'd be doing anything she asked me to do."

"Why?" Sirius asked. "She'll snog me even if she's angry with me. I don't understand why everyone makes such a fuss about it. Did you get McGonagall's essay questions done?"

"Of course I did," said Remus. "I've got to stay caught up. I'll be out sick over the weekend."

"What?" Sirius asked. "Are you planning to get sick or something?"

Remus dropped his biscuit. "What?" he said.

"You just said you'll be out sick over the weekend. How can you know you're going to be sick?"

Remus' face turned pale. "I-I'm just not feeling well now. I can tell I'm getting something. It'll get worse over the weekend."

"You know you can just get a Pepperup Potion from Madam Pomfrey if you get a cold, right? That's the great thing about having our very own Healer at the school."

"I'll have to try that then," Remus said.

"We'll stop by before Transfiguration. It will only take a moment."

"Budge up. Need breakfast," Peter said, sitting beside Remus. James was with him, and sat beside Sirius.

"So Sirius had a run in with Ms. Marlene McKinnon on the way to breakfast," Remus said.

"Why are you bringing this up again?" Sirius moaned. "This is already more trouble than it's worth!"

"Did you snog _again_?" said James through a mouthful of sausage.

"What's it like?" asked Peter.

"Snogging?" said Sirius. "Well to be honest, it makes me wonder what it would feel like to touch her bum."

Remus coughed up his porridge.

"Wow," said Peter.

"I don't even know what to say to that," said James.

"Sirius!" came a whisper from behind him. It was Andromeda. "I need to talk to you. Follow me!"

Bewildered, Sirius stood up. "I'll see you in class," he said to James. "What is it?" he asked Andromeda.

She took his arm and, looking carefully around them to make sure no one was watching, steered him toward the oak front doors and outside.

"What is going on?" Sirius pressed. They crossed the grounds to the lake and began circling it.

Andromeda turned and put her hands on Sirius' shoulders. "You have got to be careful, Sirius," she said. "There are many Slytherins who stay in contact with our family."

"What have I got to be careful about?" Sirius vented. "My mother apparently doesn't give a damn what I do or what happens to me anymore. Regulus won't even speak to me. What does it matter?"

"What?" said Andromeda. "Of course your mother cares what happens to you. Who told you otherwise? And Regulus is just jealous, he'll get over it. But listen, Sirius, you are doing some dangerous things that are drawing attention to you. I heard you let Bellatrix find your radio – you mustn't tell her who gave it to you!"

"Of course I won't," said Sirius. "I'm not stupid." He casually kicked a small stone into the lake. A powerful wind blew through, and they both wrapped their cloaks more tightly around themselves.

"It was incredibly foolish of you to let her find that!" Andromeda insisted.

"Well I didn't do it on purpose!" said Sirius.

"I know you didn't do it on purpose, but you know this is something she can hold over your head. Do you not see that she manipulates you? You are very sensitive, Sirius, and you let your emotions cloud your judgement – "

"Bellatrix looks out for me," Sirius said stubbornly, stopping in his tracks. "She's trying to do what she thinks is best." It occurred to him that he wasn't entirely sure why he was defending her, but he quickly pushed this thought away.

"I didn't see you the _entire_ Christmas break. Where were you? What were you doing? What was _Bellatrix_ doing to you?"

"Nothing!" yelled Sirius. His denial rang out like a bell and echoed over the mostly frozen lake.

"And now you think, what, she _won't_ find out you're dating a Muggleborn?"

"We're not dating! And I didn't even know she was a Muggleborn! And you know what? I don't care!" Sirius shouted.

Andromeda clasped his hands in hers. "I love that you don't care that she's Muggleborn. I don't either. But our family does, and you know that. You must learn how to be discrete. You can't keep wearing your heart on your sleeve."

"Oh, Merlin forbid, a Black showing emotion," Sirius said, pulling his hands away from hers. "I can't compartmentalize everything. I'm not a _Slytherin_ like you, Andromeda! Honestly, I don't see how any of this is your business. So why don't you just bugger off!"

For a fraction of a second, Sirius saw a look of hurt flash upon her face, then it was replaced by cool detachment. "Some day you'll realize what Bellatrix is doing to you," she said. "When you do, I hope she won't have done any lasting damage."

Sirius scoffed and turned away, returning to the castle. The corridors were empty, he supposed class had already started. He groaned at the thought of another lecture from McGonagall for lateness and debated skiving off. In the end, he decided going to class was the wiser decision, and at least he would let his friends know he was okay.

He got to class and McGonagall opened her mouth to scold him, but he cut her off by saying, "Sorry Professor, I was in the lavatory. I think the house-elves put a little something extra in the porridge this morning."

Several students snickered. McGonagall rolled her eyes, but to his relief, accepted his excuse. As he brushed past James to get to his seat, he whispered from the corner of his mouth, "Tell you later." James nodded. They didn't dare pass notes in Professor McGonagall's class.

"Why does she always pick me for demonstrations?" griped Peter, rubbing his arms and shivering as they were heading to lunch after class.

"Because it's funny watching you sprout fur and panic," said Remus. "And she knows you can't do the switching spell yet."

They sat down to eat and the boys huddled around Sirius. "What was that all about?" James asked.

"She was just scolding me for making too many waves and saying I need to keep my head down," Sirius said. "She actually told me off for snogging Marlene – apparently she's Muggleborn."

"You didn't know that?" asked James.

"Considering my family's reputation, I thought it best not to go round questioning people's blood status," Sirius said dryly. "So no, I did not."

"So you don't know about the rumor then," Peter said.

"Ouch!" said Remus.

"Sorry," said James. "I was trying to kick Peter."

"What rumor?" Sirius asked.

James sighed and exchanged a glance with Remus. "There are some people who are saying the reason you won't be Marlene's boyfriend is because she's not pureblood. But never you mind them," he added the last part quickly.

"What do you mean?" said Sirius.

"Well I hexed all the people who told me the rumor," James said matter-of-factly. "I actually have detention for it tonight."

Sirius completely forgot about the sandwich he was holding. "You hexed people for me?" he asked slowly.

"Well I wasn't going to sit and listen to people tell lies about my friend," James said.

Sirius grinned. "You can save some for me next time, if you like."

Sirius had been hoping that Marlene would forget about her Valentine's day notions, but he had been quite wrong. She approached him expectantly as he, James, Remus and Peter exited class at the end of the day on the 14th, amidst a corridor crowded with Gryffindor and Hufflepuff first-years.

"Well?" she said, with her eyebrows raised and a scowl already in place.

"Well what?" asked Sirius.

"What do you have for me?" She crossed her arms.

"I told you I wasn't doing anything," Sirius said. "I don't know what you expected." He noticed his friends were slowly backing away.

"I expected you would have come to your senses!" Marlene shouted.

"I'm sorry," Sirius said, "but my senses are working and they haven't changed. I just want to hang out with my mates."

"So the rumors are true," said a Hufflepuff first year whose name Sirius was reasonably certain was Lucy. "You won't go out with her because she's Muggleborn."

"Typical Black!" screeched Gladys Gudgeon.

James made to move forward, but Sirius grabbed his wrist.

"You two are idiots," Sirius said, "and I don't rightly care what you think. Marlene, you being Muggleborn has nothing to do with it. I didn't even know you were until a few days ago. I'm just not interested in being your boyfriend."

"I respect that," Marlene said. "Thank you for your honesty. _Coda Nascitur_!" She jabbed her wand at Sirius.

Sirius felt a rustling of his robes behind his back.

Remus started with a quiet chuckle, but then it grew. James joined in, then Peter, until all three were laughing uproariously.

Sirius turned toward them. "What are you laughing about?" he asked. The Hufflepuffs behind him began giggling. He whirled around to face Marlene, who was smirking. Out of the corner of his eye he saw something black and fuzzy.

Reaching behind himself, he discovered the reason for the laughter. "Would you look at that, I've got a tail," he said, peering at his backside.

"What's all this fuss now?" Professor Slughorn had followed the students out of the classroom. "Mr. Black, why do you have a tail?"

"I can't explain it, sir," Sirius said brightly. "I woke up this morning and there it was."

"Oh no," Slughorn chuckled. "I do not wish to get anyone into trouble, my boy. You see, I merely wish to learn who was capable of bestowing upon you such a distinguished accoutrement."

"I did, Professor," said Marlene, stepping forward.

Slughorn adjusted his glasses. "My, my," he said. "Ms. McKinnon, I would be all of a dither if you would be so kind as to make an appearance at my Slug Club party tomorrow night!" Turning to Sirius, he said, "Perhaps you ought to run along to the hospital wing so Madam Pomfrey can remove the delightful tail."

"Yes sir," Sirius said, and the four of them set off together.

"That was quite an impressive hex," James admitted, looking behind Sirius at his tail, which was swishing back and forth as he walked.

"It's not so bad," Sirius agreed. "I could get used to having a tail."

"It is certainly a memorable Valentine's day gift," Remus said.

Before Sirius knew it, March had arrived. The morning of the Quidditch game was loud and rambunctious. By the time James and Peter joined Remus and Sirius at breakfast, a group of fourth year Slytherins had already received a round of detentions for attempting to Confound the Gryffindor Seeker. Hufflepuff, who was out of the running, was supportive of the Gryffindor team. Ravenclaws were strategizing which House would be more difficult to defeat in the final.

Fabian and Gideon Prewett were retaliating the Slytherin assault by changing their decorations to red and gold. Teachers were getting involved in the commotion, Slytherins were bellowing about sportsmanship. No one even acknowledged the arrival of the owl post.

Sirius made to take a bite of eggs and discovered a letter on his plate. The others had not noticed. He opened it.

Sirius,

It has come to my consideration that you have continued to flout the family rules. Apparently I have not yet taken strong enough measures to change your behavior. You blatantly defied my order to report to Rabastan on who had given you the Muggle device. It seems to me that you think your distance from Grimmauld Place guarantees you some sort of anarchy from all rules.

I know that you think you have found friends, those liberal "equality"-pushing twats who want to insist that Mudbloods are wizards too. I'm going to tell you this now so you don't get your precious, weak little heart broken: they will abandon you. At the first sign of trouble, you will find yourself alone. The wise choice would be to drop them now and beg our family friends for forgiveness. You may have to do some favors and they may not like you, but they will protect you.

On to the grim news. I have been informed that you have been caught snogging a Mudblood. I refuse to believe that even you, with your attention-seeking behavior, would sink that low. However, I have no choice but to ask a few allies to keep an eye on you. Know that you will always be watched and think very carefully about each choice you make. If you make the wrong choices, I will know, and I will make your Christmas in the attic feel like a holiday.

Bellatrix

"Have you got a letter?" Remus asked.

Sirius moved to shove it into his pocket, but James was too quick. He snatched the letter and held it away so it was out of Sirius' reach.

"Give it back!" Sirius snarled. He reached for his wand to Summon the parchment, but Professor Dawlish, who was edging in close to Gideon and Fabian to diffuse the situation, bumped into Sirius and knocked his wand from his hand. Peter snatched it up from under the table.

"Peter," Sirius growled, standing up. "I don't need magic to take my wand back from you." He turned back to James and threw himself on top of him so they both tumbled to the floor. "Give me my bloody letter!"

"Sirius," said James quietly, not fighting back. "What happened at Christmas?"

Sirius stopped struggling for the letter. "How dare you read my mail!" he said. He stood up, wrenched his wand from Peter's grasp, Summoned the letter, and stormed out of the Great Hall.

A few minutes later, he found himself in the common room, which was deserted. All other Gryffindors were finding seats in the stands at the Quidditch pitch. He paced back in forth in front of the fire, trying to calm down. Upending the nearest table did little to make him feel better.

"Sirius," came a voice from the common room door. It was Remus. "We just want to talk to you, if that's alright." Without waiting for a response, James and Peter followed him inside the portrait hole.

Sirius did not look up, but continued to erratically pace in front of the fire. His hand that was holding the letter was shaking.

James walked right up to him and cupped his hands on either side of Sirius' head, looking him straight in the eye. "Sirius, you need to talk about this. Whatever happened, you can't hold it in forever. We're your friends and we won't abandon you. Please tell us what happened."

Sirius broke away from James' embrace. "I can't talk about it," he said, his mouth suddenly dry. "If I don't say it then it just seems like a dream."

James opened his mouth to speak, but Peter spoke first. "When I was six," he said, "I was bullied all the time by the neighboring boys. It got so bad I stopped going outside. I never told anyone."

"My family has relocated many times. I had a lonely childhood," said Remus, his voice quavering. "You three are the first friends I've ever had."

Sirius took a shaky breath, bolstered by his friends' admissions. "Bellatrix has been appointed by my mother to keep me in line," he started. "I have disappointed my family to the degree that my mother feels she can no longer control my behavior. Bellatrix deals punishments for my behavior as she sees fit. The day after break started I fell asleep listening to my radio and she found me. She crushed it and levitated me up to the attic. She knocked me into a statue and it broke my wrist. She shackled me to the wall and left me there through Christmas. I don't know how long I hung there. I lost consciousness for a lot of it.

"At some point the spell was released and I fell to the floor. My limbs were too stiff to move and I passed out again for a while. Eventually I was able to get up and she let me leave the attic. I slept in my room for some amount of time until the day before it was time to return to school." Unable to keep his voice level, he added, "My mother beheaded Pinky, the only house-elf who cared for me."

James looked him in the eyes for another moment, then pulled him into a tight hug. Sirius had never experienced such affection before. It broke a dam inside of him and tears welled up in his eyes.

After a long moment, they pulled away and Sirius wiped his face with his sleeve.

"Having a heart does not make you weak," said James firmly. Sirius saw he had tears in his eyes as well. "And you're coming to my house this summer. I won't take no for an answer. You two are invited as well," he added to Remus and Peter.

Sirius smiled. "Thanks," he said. "Thanks for listening." He crumbled the letter and lobbed it into the fire.

Gryffindor had suffered a spectacular loss of 10 to 150, so the boys were not upset at having missed the game. After the crowd had dispersed from the Quidditch field, all four of them hiked down to play a two-on-two match, Peter and James versus Remus and Sirius. They played until well past dark, when their fingers were too numb to hold the Quaffle and their noses were red and running.

They returned to the castle happily, with arms slung around shoulders, ruffling each other's hair. Sirius' mood wouldn't even be dampened by crossing Snape in the corridor, who hissed, "Blood traitor!" at him.

James responded in kind, by casting a Bat-Bogey Hex at Snape and they continued on their way, making a stop at the kitchens for snacks.

Sirius lay in bed later that night, listening to the other boys' snores, feeling that he could conquer anything his family sent his way, as long as he had his friends by his side.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

April brought with it a reprieve from the winter chill. The Whomping Willow shuffled off its icicles in favor of newly sprung leaves and the giant squid could be seen frolicking in the shallow end of the lake. The grounds were more enticing than ever and Sirius found himself taking the window seat in class and staring out the window more often than paying attention.

The Daily Prophet gave news of Squib rights marches happening in London on the Monday morning of the second week of April. The event was one of many that were happening all over the country with increasing frequency. Most students laughed upon hearing this news, as Squibs were regarded rather as a joke.

Sirius read the articles on the subject intently each day during that week. He was interested in hearing the pureblood ideology from a different perspective, and afraid that a member of his family might make an appearance in the paper.

"I don't know why you bother with that rubbish," said James, nodding at the Prophet. "Don't get me wrong, I'm all for Squib rights, but I'm not about to go out and protest. Mostly because my mum would kill me." He mocked her voice, "It's too dangerous! Someone will hex your eye out!"

"My grandfather's brother was a Squib," Sirius said, turning the page of the paper. "He was excommunicated from the family and blasted off the family tree. We're not allowed to talk about him. I once asked about the burn mark on the tree when I was younger. My mother screamed at me for a solid hour and at some point said I ought to grow my hair out and denounce magic."

"What did you do?" Remus asked.

"Well," said Sirius, running his fingers through his hair, which was now grown well past his ears, "I told her I'd happily give up magic to be the lead singer of Led Zeppelin. She didn't like that too much."

"You listen to Led Zeppelin?" Lily asked, taking a seat beside Sirius.

"When I can," said Sirius. "I am currently without a radio."

Lily began digging through her bag. She pulled out a stack of Muggle photographs and flipped through quickly. She pulled one out and handed it to Sirius.

"Merlin's left bollock, Evans, how did you manage to take this?" Sirius asked.

Remus snatched it from him. "Lily," he marveled. "How did you get this close to Jimmy Page?"

James took the photo from Remus. "Who is this prat?" he asked.

"Do you not see the fellow?" Sirius demanded. "Can you not see that he is the coolest person who will ever exist? Look at his hair! Women throw themselves at him. Men throw themselves at him. You will live your whole life and never be as cool as one finger on that man!"

James looked blankly at Remus. Remus nodded.

"My dad took me to a show a few years back," Lily explained excitedly. "It was the most wonderful moment I've ever experienced – except, of course, discovering that I'm a witch."

"We're going to go to a show, Remus," Sirius said resolutely, "or die trying." A glazed expression came over both boys' faces.

James snapped his fingers between the two. "Come back to us," he said. "Anyway Lily, you've never really been to a show unless you've seen the Toadstools live. I showed off some pretty impressive dance moves when I saw them last year," he added proudly.

Sirius snorted. "You did not, James," he said, sharing a look with Lily. "Dancing is for tossers anyway."

"I will have you know, I dance majestically," James said. "And I have seen you dance! You and Remus were listening to that Crimson bloke!"

"We were listening to Twenty-First Century Schizoid Man," Sirius explained. "We weren't _dancing_."

"You were up and about doing something spastic," James said.

"That's so cute!" Lily said, leaning in to Remus. "You were playing air guitar, weren't you!"

Remus' cheeks tinged pink and he smiled embarrassedly.

"Oi, Mudbloods!" Evan Rosier shouted from the Slytherin table, looking directly at Lily and Remus. "Do you plan to join your Squib kin in a march? Think you'll share the rights of our kind, do you?"

"Piss off, Rosier!" James and Sirius said at the same time, standing up.

"Let's go outside, shall we?" Remus said quietly, looking up at the sunny ceiling. "I'd rather not ruin a perfectly nice Saturday afternoon by dueling with the Slytherins."

James and Sirius looked at each other. "If you say so," James shrugged.

"You know he deserves it," Sirius said.

"Come on, Lily," Remus said, and the five abandoned their food for the front doors.

"The blood traitor joins them, of course," fifth year Slytherin Tarquin McTavish called. "Fancy a roll in the mud, Black?" The other Slytherins guffawed.

Sirius flicked him a two fingered salute as they exited.

Outside it was warm and breezy. They walked in silence for some time, tracing the edge of the forest. They spotted a crowd near the Whomping Willow again, and decided to watch, on the condition that Sirius agreed that he would not attempt to touch the trunk again.

"I was two meters from the trunk!" a Hufflepuff boy in their year was boasting. "See that rock? I touched it with my toe!"

"I can get closer than that!" scoffed a second year Sirius recognized as one of the Gryffindor Beaters. "One hand tied behind my back!"

"Now taking bets!" called a third year Hufflepuff. "How long you fink til 'e gets whomped? Galleon on each meter." Several hands raised. "Don' go yet, Gudgeon, I ain't finished," the Hufflepuff called to the boy, who was crouched in a runner's stance.

"A Galleon per meter?" Fabian Prewett said. "D'you think that's fair odds, Fletcher?"

"What does Davey get if he makes it?" Lily asked.

"'E gets the glory, o' course," Fletcher said. Then to the crowd, "Anyone want five Galleons if he makes it to the trunk?"

When all bets were placed, Fletcher nodded to Davey Gudgeon, who took a deep breath, then sprinted diagonally towards the tree. As the branches came swinging down, he darted in the adjacent diagonal direction, ducking a rogue branch. He changed direction again and charged for the tree, then WHAM! A branch caught him in the face, and he was flung far past the crowd.

He lay, unmoving, for a second or two. Sirius began to wonder if he was alive, when Davey let out an ear piercing scream. The crowd thundered towards him, but the people in front recoiled when he sat up. Standing on his toes so he could see above the group, Sirius gasped. Where Davey's eye should have been, there was only a blank socket. Blood was streaming down his face and drenching his clothes.

"What's going on?" James asked. He, Lily and Peter were craning their necks, trying to see what had happened.

Fabian was the first to act sensibly. "For the love of Merlin, no one move!" he ordered. "Stand exactly where you are. Look only from where you're standing. We need to find the eye!"

"The eye?" Lily whispered, horrified. "Oh, poor Davey!"

"There it is!" Remus called, pointing at the base of the tree.

He was right. Whole and undamaged, the eye rested upon a knot on the tree's base.

"Someone Summon it!" the Hufflepuff first-year shouted.

For a moment, no one moved. Nobody wanted to be the one to hold Davey's eye.

" _Accio_!" Gideon said, and the eyeball sailed forward into his outstretched hand. "Let's move," he said tersely.

Sirius and James lifted Davey into a standing position and slung an arm over each shoulder. "Come on," Sirius said, attempting to be comforting. "Madam Pomfrey will be able to reattach it." It was a lie, he didn't know whether such a thing was possible.

Davey sobbed. "My eye," he said. "Where is my eye?"

James looked at Sirius. "Gideon has it," James said. "He's coming with us to the hospital wing. You'll be okay. It's not far now."

They reentered the castle. Immediately, Professor McGonagall swooped down on them. "What happened?" she demanded. She saw Davey's face. "Albus!" she shouted, turning white. "I'll take him, boys." She flicked her wand and Davey levitated a few inches from the ground.

Sirius had never seen her move so fast. They raced after her, Gideon still clutching the eye. "Will she be able to reattach it?" Lily said.

"I hope so," said Remus.

The Gryffindors were not allowed in the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey came out only to hold out a dish into which Gideon placed the eye and then returned, slamming the door behind her.

Sirius, Remus, James, Peter, Lily, Fabian and Gideon sat on the floor against the wall facing the hospital wing door. Gideon and Fabian disappeared behind quill and parchment. Sirius focused on trying to use the Water Spell to clean the blood off his shoes.

"Must you do that now?" Lily hissed. She sat with her arms looped around her shins.

"What?" Sirius said. "I like to practice spells when I'm bored or anxious about people losing their eyes. _Aquamenti_!"

"And you!" she said, rounding on James.

James stopped rhythmically tapping the back of his head against the wall. "What did I do?" he asked.

"And Peter!" she continued. "Stop picking your scabs, it's disgusting!"

"Lily, this is what we do," Remus said. "Take it or leave it."

"That's true, Evans," Sirius said. "Lots of people have annoying stress habits. You, for instance, like to nag."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Remus manages to not be annoying," she pointed out.

James paused his tapping again to say, "That's because Remus has the dignity of a phoenix."

"Remus has the fortitude of a centaur," Sirius agreed. "He could slay a dragon without batting an eye. Or losing one, for that matter."

Lily slapped him upside his head. "You are so insensitive!" she said. "How can you make jokes about poor Davey at a time like this?"

"Fletcher disappeared the second there was trouble, didn't he?" James said.

"The moment the branch hit Davey, he scarpered," Sirius said, laying down and resting his head on James' legs.

When Professor McGonagall opened the door to the hospital wing two hours later, Sirius, Peter and Remus were all using James as a pillow. Remus and Peter were on either side, with their heads resting on James' shoulder and Sirius was sprawled over James' legs.

At the sound of the door opening, Remus and Peter sat up, rubbing their eyes. Sirius gave a startled snort and rolled onto his back.

"Is he okay?" Lily immediately asked, blotting with her quill the parchment between her and James. Sirius could see that they had been playing a game of hangman.

"Madam Pomfrey was successful in reattaching Davey's eye," she said. The group of seven cheered. "However," she raised her voice over theirs, "there was permanent damage to his optic nerve. He will likely suffer impairment for the rest of his life. He will no longer be able to play Quidditch."

A shocked silence rang out following her words as they digested this information. James clapped his hands over his mouth. Gideon and Fabian scribbled furiously on their parchment.

"But-but surely he can _try_ to play, Professor," James protested.

"I need all of you to follow me," she said solemnly. "Come now."

Stretching, they obliged, following her to a corridor on the third floor, and stopping before a stone gargoyle. "Chocolate Frog," McGonagall said crisply, and the gargoyle sprang to life and stepped aside, revealing a stone staircase. She ascended and they followed, sharing perplexed glances. At the top, she rapped on the door twice, and the door opened, revealing Professor Dumbledore. He waved them in.

The Gryffindors stepped inside, marveling at the ornately decorated room. Professor McGonagall waved her wand and conjured enough chairs for each of them to have a seat.

"Good evening," Dumbledore said, stepping behind his desk, but continuing to stand.

No one replied. Perhaps they, like Sirius, had never been this close to the famous headmaster before, much less been on speaking terms. On a perch closest to Sirius was a beautiful bird. With a jolt, he realized it was a phoenix. As he stared at it, so did its beady eye stare right back at him.

"You all have been witness to an event," the headmaster continued. "Egregious and permanent damage has been caused, and it is imperative that I know precisely what happened. Therefore, I must speak to each of you individually, so that I may compile the clearest account possible." He tented his fingers and looked down his crescent shaped glasses at them, a small frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I will speak with Fabian first. Minerva, if you could please escort the others outside to wait."

The boys and Lily waited outside the office impatiently. Professor McGonagall had warned them sternly to keep quiet, then joined Fabian and the headmaster in the office.

In only a couple minutes, Fabian exited and Gideon was called in. Lily was next, and Remus followed her. When Remus returned and Professor McGonagall called Peter's name, James and Sirius tried to pester him for information.

"Who does he think is responsible then?"

"Are we getting into trouble?"

"I'll tell him Davey can still play Quidditch, surely he can – "

"I don't know anything," Remus said, sitting beside Sirius. "They simply asked what happened and I told them. They asked if I was pressured into anything and whether or not either of you were involved, and of course I said no, not until after he was hurt."

"Why the two of us in particular?" James asked.

"I dunno," said Sirius. "Maybe they think we're desperate for a shot at the Quidditch team?"

James shrugged. Then Peter opened the door and it was James' turn. Sirius rounded on Peter, but Peter squeaked and sat down, covering his face with his arms. Sirius rolled his eyes. "I just want to get this over with so I know whether or not to prepare for a detention," he said.

"How does one prepare for a detention?" Remus asked.

Before Sirius could respond, they heard the muffled sound of James shouting from inside the office. Remus and Sirius shared a quizzical look. Sirius strained his ears to try to hear what was being said, but then the shouting abruptly ceased. James opened the door and plunked down beside the others.

"What on earth were you yelling about?" Sirius asked.

"Mr. Black," Professor McGonagall called, holding the door ajar for him.

Sirius stood up, scrutinizing James' face for a clue, but James merely said, "I'll tell you later," then stared resolutely at the wall in front of him.

Sirius warily took a seat. Dumbledore's office was now empty of all excess chairs. Sirius marveled at just how impressively large the office was.

Dumbledore was still sitting behind his desk. He fixed Sirius with a piercing look that made him feel uncomfortably as though the man was trying to read his thoughts. Sirius was silent and returned the stare. After a full minute of silence, Dumbledore said, "Mr. Black, I am told by your peers that there were bets being made on Mr. Gudgeon regarding how close he could get to the Whomping Willow. However, no one seems to know who was responsible. I was hoping you would enlighten me."

Sirius blinked. "I haven't a clue, sir," he said. "Didn't catch his name or face, sorry."

Dumbledore leaned toward him and inclined his head, studying Sirius' face. Sirius tilted his chair onto its back two legs and crossed his arms. "Did you have something to do with this, Mr. Black?" he asked.

"What? No!" Sirius said, startled at the accusation.

"You weren't betting on a Muggleborn's life for monetary gain?"

The front two legs of Sirius' chair crashed to the floor and he stood up. "You all keep assuming that I know the blood status of everyone at this school," he said, pointing at Dumbledore. "I didn't bet on Davey, but even if I had, it wouldn't have anything to do with his sodding blood status!" He looked back at Professor McGonagall, expecting to be scolded for his outburst, but she remained silent and impassive.

"I know that tensions are high right now," Dumbledore said, still calmly. "Squibs are marching for rights, pure-bloods are beginning to riot. It is my understanding that some students here are feeling restless about the situation."

Sirius remained standing with his mouth agape. A realization had just dawned on him. He scrambled to think of a defense, but to his surprise, McGonagall spoke up. "Albus," she said. "You see the company he keeps. I have seen no evidence so far this year to suggest that Mr. Black intends to follow in his family's footsteps."

For a moment, Dumbledore did not speak. Sirius felt torn. He was offended about the assumptions the headmaster had made, touched that Professor McGonagall had rushed to his defense, and yet some wild part within him wanted to catch the next train ride out to the Squib marches and start protesting with them.

Sirius suddenly found his voice. "Hang on a tick," he said slowly. "You think I'm singling out Muggleborns, but you're the one discriminating against me because of my last name, aren't you?"

At that moment, Professor McGonagall let out a loud cough. Dumbledore glanced at her briefly then returned to Sirius with a much softer look. "Do you not agree with your family's ideologies, Sirius?" he said.

Sirius faltered for a second at Dumbledore's use of his first name. "I don't understand their views," he admitted. "People are people. Lily Evans is far better than I am at Potions. Remus is half-blood and has higher marks than I do in Defense Against the Dark Arts. I know I'm supposed to think I'm better than them, but…I'd rather be with nice people than people who think they're superior."

Sirius thought he saw a smile beneath Dumbledore's beard, but it was gone as soon as he noticed it. "Minerva, why don't you let the others in?" Dumbledore said. "I think I've a fair idea of what happened."

McGonagall opened the door and James squeezed his way to the front of the group so he could stand by Sirius. "Mate, you've been in here longer than anyone else," he said. "Is everything okay?" Sirius nodded.

"From what I have heard this evening, it is clear that no one here is directly responsible for either this incident or the gambling involved," Dumbledore said. "However, I must express my disappointment in the same fine, upstanding witches and wizards observing who did nothing to prevent this from happening, despite the possession of better judgement." Catching on from the others, Sirius dutifully lowered his head in shame. "I shall award twenty points each to Gryffindor for Mr. and Mr. Prewett, Mr. Black and Mr. Potter for keeping a cool head during an emergency. You are dismissed, with the dire warning to never go near the Whomping Willow again."

They shuffled out. Gideon and Fabian diverted down the southern corridor. Lily opted for a late dinner in the Great Hall. The four boys decided they preferred a visit to the kitchens.

"What a waste of a Saturday," James complained as Peter tickled the pear and the door handle appeared. "We may as well have gotten into a fight with the Slytherins."

"Quite right," Sirius said, accepting a helping of chicken from a house elf. "At least then we could have defended your honor, Remus."

"My honor doesn't need defending," Remus said, helping Peter load up his bag of food. "I appreciate the offer, of course."

Once their bag was nearly bursting at the seams from the amount of food inside it, the boys trooped back up to Gryffindor Tower. Sirius was quiet during the trek, saying nothing until they were back in the dormitory, snacking on Peter's bed.

"Dumbledore thought I was behind Davey's adventures today, that I provoked him or something," he said, chewing thoughtfully on a chicken leg. "I think it was because my family are obsessed with blood status, and I'm beginning to suspect, a bit touched in the head."

"He tried to get me to say that you coerce people for your own gains," James said. "I told him if he wasn't so busy being a twit, he'd see that you're a Gryffindor."

"You called the headmaster a twit?" Remus gasped, jaw dropped.

"And you're still here?" Peter asked.

"I expect he was rather taken aback," James said. "I doubt he thought he would get shouted at by a first-year today."

"McGonagall defended me," Sirius said, smiling to himself. "She was like my knight in shining armor."

"Sirius fancies his teacher!" Peter teased.

"I respect her, there's a difference," Sirius said.

"Sure," said Remus. "You'll be snogging her next, won't you?"

"Marlene just wasn't mature enough," James said.

"You've caught me, I'm smitten," Sirius said, leaning back onto Peter's pillow and putting the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically. "She's all I think about. The tight bun in her hair drives me wild."

"This may cause strife at staff meetings," Remus said.

"The fact our love is forbidden makes me only desire it more," Sirius said, sitting up. He threw an arm around James and wrestled him to the floor, upsetting a bowl of potatoes in the process.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

James was thrilled at the approach of the Quidditch final between Slytherin and Ravenclaw. His excitement was infectious; the Gryffindor boys of the first-year dormitory sat in a corner of the common room and discussed strategies late into the night in the week before the match.

Meanwhile, warm weather moved in, and Sirius began relaxing out in the courtyard in his spare time. It was May, which meant he had less than two months until it was time to return home. Most students were spending free time studying for exams, so the courtyard was a quiet place to clear his mind of nagging worries.

He hadn't heard from Bellatrix since her letter in March, but he hadn't forgotten about her warnings that he was being watched. Whenever a Slytherin approached in the corridors, he would watch from the corner of his eye until whoever it was had passed. He felt he hadn't done anything that would particularly upset her. He'd received a couple of detentions, sure, but they were only for hexing other students. The Black family was perfectly comfortable with disagreements, even when they involved Slytherins.

Tuesday afternoon in Charms they were learning the Mending Spell. Sirius enjoyed this greatly for two reasons: he succeeded at the spell on the first try, earning fifteen points to Gryffindor, and he got to break objects so that they could be fixed.

After his fifth try, James had the spell conquered as well. They started a game in which James tried to repair objects faster than Sirius could smash them. Sirius was standing on a desk, lifting a set of scales over his head when the bell rang for the end of class. As students began to gather their things, he shrugged and chucked it to the ground anyway, and it shattered.

" _Reparo_ ," said Remus, and the scales were mended. He returned them to Mary MacDonald, then joined James in repairing the other things Sirius had destroyed.

"We've got free time until Astronomy tonight," Sirius said, handing Professor Flitwick's glasses back after repairing the lenses. "Let's go for a swim in the lake."

"We ought to study for our exams," Remus said. "You still can't remember how to make a Forgetfulness Potion, can you?"

"We've got ages before our exams, you swot," Sirius said.

"He's right, you know," James admitted. "We had better study."

Sirius groaned. "Peter, you're with me, right?"

"Well," Peter said, looking down at his feet. "I don't reckon I should. My mum will kill me if I fail any of my exams, and I'm dreadful at Charms, you've seen me."

"I need to do something!" Sirius complained. "I'm bored!"

"Quit whining," James said. "We can play Quidditch tonight after dark."

Sirius huffed. He had discovered an interesting spell and was itching to try it out, with or without his friends. As they headed for the library, he muttered, "I'll catch up with you," and crept through the corridors, looking for an unsuspecting Slytherin.

As luck would have it, he found Snape wandering alone in the History of Magic corridor. "Excellent," he whispered to himself and crouched down, taking aim.

And then there was a hand on his shoulder, turning him away from Snape. He was face-to-face with Professor Dawlish. "Now I know he hasn't done anything to you," Dawlish said. "Why are you trying to start a fight?"

"Boredom," Sirius said. "James, Peter and Remus wanted to study."

"And you're just planning to waste your skills, are you?"

"What?" Sirius asked, bewildered.

"Sirius, I've seen your grades," Dawlish said. "You have a natural talent. You've got the makings of an Auror in you. You're _not_ going to let that go to waste so you can cause meaningless destruction."

"I'm not?" said Sirius. He had never been spoken to by an adult in such a manner before.

"Come to my office after dinner. We're going to put your excess energy to use."

"Okay," Sirius said. He loped off to the library, trying to figure out what had just happened.

After dinner, Sirius reported to Professor Dawlish's office as ordered. When he entered, Dawlish handed him a sheet of parchment.

"What's this?" Sirius asked.

"A list of more advanced spells," Dawlish explained, not looking up from the third-year essays he was grading. "I expect you will master each of those spells."

"You're joking," Sirius said, peering at the list. "What sort of teacher would want someone like me to know a spell for sticking someone's tongue to the top of their mouth?"

Dawlish peered through his glasses up at Sirius. "I once knew someone very much like you, Sirius. You are the type of person who needs to be kept busy. Now, you will learn these spells. I had better not catch you starting unprovoked fights until you have finished this list. These spells will give you a leg up for Auror training down the road."

"You're leaving at the end of this year," Sirius said. "I won't have these finished by then."

"Then you will keep up a correspondence," Dawlish said briskly. "Send your owls to the Ministry of Magic, they will find me."

"Why are you doing this?" Sirius asked. "Why do you care what I do?"

"Because I know your family. You're a good lad, Sirius, but you need a positive role model in your life. "

Sirius didn't know how to respond to that.

"Go on now," Dawlish said with a wave of his hand. "And stay out of trouble."

"Yes sir," said Sirius.

Sirius refrained from sharing with his friends the meeting he had with Professor Dawlish. He wasn't sure how he felt about it. However, he found himself intrigued by the spells on the list. He read and reread the items and practiced them in his free time when he was out in the courtyard. They were difficult, and he had only managed to cast a very weak Shield Charm before the day of the Quidditch final arrived.

"James, we are not leaving this table until I have finished my breakfast," Sirius said, taking a big gulp of tea.

"We need to get good seats!" James protested. "I don't want to miss any bit of the action!"

"Yes, I'm sure there will be a lot of action half an hour before the match," Remus said. "We wouldn't want to miss out on any interestingly shaped clouds."

"I'll go whenever you're ready, James," Peter said, loading his pockets with toast.

"You're still here?" Marlene asked them, arm linked with Lily's. The girls were finished with breakfast, though Lily did not appear as thrilled or alert as Marlene.

"You see?" James hissed at Sirius. " _They're_ going already! I swear to Merlin, if I miss anything –"

"Oh, belt up already," Sirius said. "Fine, I'll go with you if you'll stop complaining."

Remus decided he didn't want to sit for breakfast alone, so all four of them headed out to the stands. They took seats beside Lily and Marlene, joined shortly after by the other Gryffindor first-year girls.

James was happily chatting with Marlene on which Ravenclaw Chaser had the best statistics. Peter was eating pocket toast, Remus was reading a book on Dark creatures, and Sirius was practicing wand movements from Dawlish's spell list. The Slytherin team was assembled in the field below, working out strategies.

Rabastan Lestrange, one of the Beaters and Slytherin team Captain, had become aware of their presence. He walked to the edge of the field nearest the stands where they were sitting. "What do we have here?" he said. "Mudbloods and blood traitors go home!"

"You're quite right, Rabastan," Lucius Malfoy, who was the Keeper, said. "I don't think I'll be able to concentrate on the game with this abundance of filth on my field."

"Get buggered, Malfoy," Sirius called, not dignifying their words with a glance.

A moment later, Malfoy was less than a foot away from Sirius. "I don't like your tone, boy," Malfoy said in a near whisper. His wand was at Sirius' temple.

Sirius could hear the other Gryffindors pulling out their wands, but Lucius did not seem to mind. "You're so tough and rebellious when surrounded by your friends, aren't you? Your mother always said your mouth would get you into trouble," Malfoy continued. "Now you seem to be set on tarnishing the name of the family that I will soon be joining. Your poor cousin is beside herself with worry."

At that moment, the rest of the school begin filing down to the match. Malfoy glanced at the crowd, then leaned down close enough that his breath tickled Sirius' ear and said so that no one else could hear it, "You and I know that at home, you are powerless. Cross me or Narcissa and I will kill you." He returned to the field without a backward glance.

The game passed in a blur to Sirius. Ravenclaw won, 170 to 20, but it hardly mattered. His friends tried to cheer him up, but he could only think about the number of people in his household that he had managed to enrage.

The Wednesday after the match was a listless morning for Sirius, who was trying to eat breakfast, even though everything tasted like cardboard. Peter was rambling about some Gobstones tournament that was coming up. James was transfiguring Remus' book for practice, much to Remus' annoyance.

The disassociated buzzing in Sirius' head stopped as a newspaper was dropped onto his plate by Lily, who had tears in her eyes. The name of the unauthorized paper was _Wizards Unite_ , beneath which said in bold letters: "UNCOVERING THE TRUTH IN OUR NATION". The front-page article was titled, 'Death During Squib Marches; Ministry Aware'. Sirius read,

Public tension has been rising in the past week after the

disappearance of Muggle enthusiast and well-known Squib,

Mitch Henderson. We have received information from our

anonymous Ministry official (hereafter referred to as "Eric")

of Henderson's whereabouts. For those who don't know, three

days ago, Henderson was arrested by Ministry officials during

a Squib march in London, but was never officially charged with

anything. Eric informed us that the original complaint to which

Ministry officials responded was that Henderson was "stealing

magic from purebloods". After Henderson was apprehended,

he was placed in a holding cell within the Ministry. It is

unknown precisely what happened to Henderson in the

following four hours, but Eric informed us that Henderson

was found, bludgeoned to death, in his cell. Written in

blood on the wall of his cell was, "Mudbloods go home".

Eric says that Ministry officials have been ordered not to

speak of this event.

Sirius passed the paper on to Remus, feeling like his stomach was filling with lead. Rabastan Lestrange's words from Saturday echoed in his head. Did Lestrange know something about this? Dread blossomed within him as he wondered, did his _family_ know something about this?

Frowns and worry lines enveloped the Gryffindor table as the paper was passed through hands. No one paid attention in Defense Against the Dark Arts, they were too busy discussing the contents of the article. The class could hardly focus on the Knockback Jinx they were supposed to be learning.

Dawlish paired them up, with the instruction that they would practice one at a time. He had set up cushions in front of which the target would stand. He was arranging Mulciber and Florence Greengrass to be the first pair, when a scuffle was heard from the back of the classroom.

James and Sirius turned to see Marlene holding Nicholas Nott in a headlock. There was a scramble as people took sides, Gryffindors moving to help Marlene, and Slytherins to aid Nott. In a matter of a few seconds Professor Dawlish turned to see the commotion, someone uttered a spell, everyone froze in surprise, and Marlene fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Marlene!" Lily shouted, rushing forward.

"Nott!" Dawlish roared. "Get up here NOW!" He levitated Marlene and the three of them left the classroom.

No one moved except for Evan Rosier. "Filthy magic thief!" he said viciously. "Mudbloods go home!"

Sirius saw James begin to raise his wand, but Lily beat him to it. " _Conjunctivo_!" she cried, and Rosier groaned and clutched his face as it crusted over. Without another word, she stormed out of the classroom.

"Let's go," said James. They didn't need telling twice. All the Gryfindors followed James to the hospital wing. Dawlish was just stepping out.

"She'll be fine," he said darkly. "Clear out. I have other matters that need tending to." He strode off in the direction of Dumbledore's office.

"I guess we should go to lunch," Peter said.

James nodded. "Alright," he said, "but this is getting out of hand. We've got to do something. Sirius?"

"Nah," said Sirius. "Go on without me, I'm not hungry." He decided to go to the library instead, thinking he might try to study Potions to take his mind off things.

He sat at a table with his Potions book out, and attempted to read it but found that he kept reading the same line over and over. He sighed and put his head down, wrapping his arms around. He started when he heard the shuffle of footsteps near him. It was Evan Rosier, face clear of the Conjunctivitis Curse Lily had used. Wilkes, Mulciber and Snape were with him.

"We took care of your little problem, Black," Rosier said quietly, so that the librarian wouldn't hear them.

"What problem?" Sirius hissed, gripping the edge of the table so hard his knuckles turned white.

"The Mudblood," Rosier said, smirking. "We did her in for you. Special favor to Bellatrix."

Sirius slowly stood and his chair fell to the ground noisily. He didn't notice, but instead left the library without a word. He wandered without purpose and again ended up outside, in the courtyard.

His hands were shaking. He stared at his usual spot and debated sitting down, but instead whirled around and pointed his wand at the hedges. " _Reducto_!" he said, and the hedge exploded into a thousand bits of leaves. " _Reducto_!" he shouted at a bench and it, too, splintered into infinitesimal pieces. He growled in frustration.

"Sirius?"

He turned around. Lily was sitting alone in the grass adjacent to the courtyard, with her wand on the ground in front of her.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, walking over to her.

"I'm on strike," she said. "Why are you out here?"

Sirius grimaced. "Evan Rosier, the bloody git," he said. "What are you striking?"

"Squib and Muggleborn rights," she said. "Maybe I can't join them in London, but I can still make a point here at the school."

"Hard to do that with only one person," Sirius said, sitting down beside her. "So you're just planning to sit here?"

"Oh yes," she said. "I'm not hurting anyone or doing anything illegal, but I am proving a point."

"I suppose I'll join you then," Sirius said. He crossed his legs and took his spell list out of his bag.

"Where did you learn that spell?" Lily asked.

"Dawlish gave me list of spells to learn," Sirius said, showing it to her. "He thinks I'm going to be an Auror or something. That was the first time I've done the Reductor Curse, I was just really angry."

"Earlier was my first time doing the Conjunctivitis Curse," Lily said.

"I was really impressed," Sirius said. "You didn't see it, his whole face crusted over, it was disgusting."

"Good," Lily said.

"Oi! Sirius!" called James, as he, Remus and Peter came running towards him. "You've been sitting out here in the grass with Evans?"

"We're on strike," Sirius explained. "We're protesting the unfair treatment of Squibs and Muggleborns."

"Okay then," James said and sat down beside Sirius. Remus sat on Lily's other side and Peter sat beside James. "Does anyone know any cushioning charms?"

"We didn't see you at the hospital wing, Lily," Remus said. "Professor Dawlish said that Marlene will be okay."

"I heard, thanks," said Lily, rolling out a bedsheet.

" _Depulso_ ," Sirius said attempting the Banishing Charm on a small stone, but it didn't budge. "That Henderson bloke was arrested in London," he muttered. "I wouldn't put it past my family to have had something to do with it. _Depulso_!"

Lily was opening a paint set and brushes. "I'm making a banner," she explained to James' questioning look. "How else will people know what we're sitting for?"

"Lily!" called another voice from the courtyard. Emmaline Vance was striding toward them, followed closely by Mary MacDonald and Alexis Fawley. "Are you protesting?"

"Yes, we have a sign," Peter said helpfully.

"Suppose you'll need our help then," said Vance, and the girls took a seat.

It wasn't too long after that when Gideon and Fabian saw the group. "Protesting for Squib rights?" Gideon asked.

Lily nodded. "Right-o," said Fabian, and they sat as well.

By the time lunch had ended, students from other houses had joined them. Sturgis Podmore and Edgar Bones of Hufflepuff, Benjy Fenwick of Ravenclaw, even Fletcher of Hufflepuff (whose first name they quickly learned was 'Mundungus') had joined them. On the Gryffindor end there were upperclassmen as well.

Lily had completed her sign. It now read: All Blood is Created Equal. An older student had performed a spell so that the letters would change colors. Lily spread the bedsheet out in front of everyone, so that her message faced the school.

The ring of the bell that signified the start of the first afternoon class brought silence over the group. This was it. They were breaking the rules.

Five minutes passed with no one speaking. Then just at the moment that they began to relax, Professor McGonagall stormed out of the oak front doors.

"What is going on here?" she demanded. "Why are none of you in class?"

"Professor, we're protesting the unfair treatment of Squibs and Muggleborns," Lily said, standing up.

McGonagall stared at her. "To what are you referring, Ms. Evans?" she asked.

"There is a political faction which is gaining strength," Lily began. "It is a wealthy group of individuals who have great pull at the Ministry of Magic, who call themselves 'pureblood'. They have been slowly and systematically crafting lies about those of us born to magical parents who have no magic and those of us born to non-magical parents who have magic. They say we weaken magic. I say we strengthen it!"

A chorus of cheering followed this, and a few calls of "Here, here!"

"They say we steal magic," she said, her eyes ablaze with passion. "I say we create it!" More cheers followed this statement, and as one, they joined her in standing.

To Sirius' surprise, McGonagall's eyes visibly softened. "I understand what you are trying to do," she said in a voice very unlike her own. "But this is futile. You must come back inside."

"I'm sorry, Professor," Lily said. "This must be done."

McGonagall sighed. "Then I shall fetch the headmaster," she said, and returned to the castle.

"That was fantastic, Lily," Sirius said, thumping her on the back.

"Well spoken," agreed Remus. "You have clearly taken care to be informed."

"This is the first true test," she said to the boys. "Professor McGonagall will bring Professor Dumbledore out here and he will impress upon us the seriousness of the situation. The school can't have a protest on its hands, they will do most anything to get us to come back inside. However, as long as we remain peaceful, no legal action may be taken."

"My students," said Professor Dumbledore, stepping onto the lawn before them. "Professor McGonagall has informed me of your intentions, which, I must agree, are both genuine and noble." The crowd cheered in agreement. "Children please hear me," he spoke above the noise. "Although I agree with your sentiment, if you remain here, the Ministry will be informed. I say this not as a threat, but as a statement of facts. The Ministry will find out about this, and they will come out here and end it, one way or another. As I am not the Minister for Magic, there will be nothing I will be able to do about it. I do not wish it upon any of my students to face reprisals from the Ministry."

"I do not claim to speak for everyone here," Lily said to the headmaster. "However, I cannot, in good conscience, return to my studies with the knowledge that there are those who have the power to take away everything I have of the wizarding world, or even my life."

"For Mitch Henderson!" shouted Fabian and Gideon from the back.

"Then, my dear," Dumbledore said sadly, "I am afraid you shall be sitting out here a very long time." He and Professor McGonagall turned and reentered the castle.

After they missed Transfiguration, Potions passed them by. As History of Magic began, Sirius reminded himself how nice it was to be outside on such a sunny day. Lily had brought her radio, and she, Remus and Sirius sang along to the music, "So where were the spiders while the fly tried to break our balls? Just the beer light to guide us. So we bitched about his fans and should we crush his sweet hands?1"

It was nearly dinnertime when Hagrid strolled across the lawn carrying a tray laden with food. "Hallo, Hagrid!" Lily called, waving. Hagrid smiled, unable to return the wave with his hands full.

"Thought yeh might be hungry," he said, setting down the plate in front of her. "I wanted teh show my support fer the work yer doin'."

"Cheers, Hagrid," said James, helping himself to a crumpet.

"We've got ter support each other," he grunted.

"Why not sit with us, Hagrid?" Sirius asked. "It's a lovely day, and we could use an adult on our side."

"Can't do that," Hagrid said. "They want the students to come back, but they'd just replace me."

"There's no replacing you, Hagrid," Lily said with a smile.

"That's sweet of yeh, Lily. But I've got ter get goin'. Thestrals need feedin'." He set back off across the lawn, whistling to himself.

Sirius found himself growing bored as the evening wore on. He was still trying to perform the Banishing Spell, this time with James joining him. " _Depulso_!" James said, succeeding on his tenth try.

"Prat," Sirius said jealously. "You don't even know the Summoning Spell yet. What good does the Banishing Spell do you?"

"Just watch," said James. " _Depulso_!" Peter's bag flew twenty feet into the courtyard. James looked on, amused, as Peter ran after it.

Bent over with one hand holding his bag, Peter froze. He was staring at the side entrance of the castle and had a frightened look on his face.

"What is it, Peter?" Remus asked, but they soon saw Rabastan, Lucius, and Tarquin McTavish walking coolly towards him, as if they hadn't a care in the world. Peter snatched up his bag and scampered back to safety by his friends.

"Well, well, well," Lucius said, standing before first-years. "Look Rabastan, the Mudbloods have all converged into a group for us. How nice of them to make themselves known. Oh look, they've made themselves a little sign." He pointed at the bedsheet Lily had painted with a sneer. "It's too bad animals don't have rights."

James threw his bag on the ground and stood up, shoving his wand into Malfoy's face. Seeing that Malfoy towered over James, Sirius decided James needed backup and stood beside him, raising his wand as well. "Shut your gob, Malfoy!" James roared. "You think you're superior. You're just an inbred, loony, mummy's boy! Anyone would be glad not to share your blood!"

Malfoy acted as though James had not spoken. He said to Sirius, "Times are changing, Black. Soon the filth will be cleaned from the streets. You had better make sure you're on the right side."

"You're the filth, Malfoy," said Sirius. "We all bleed red."

"Allow me to take you down a peg," said Lucius, his voice turning icier. "You are no more important than the name you bear, Black. Once you carry on your line, you have completed your purpose in life. I could kill you and you wouldn't be missed."

Sirius stood as tall he could. "If I didn't have a younger brother, I'd kill myself right now and end the bloodline. I'm not afraid of you, Malfoy."

Malfoy raised his wand. " _Cru_ – " he started.

" _Protego_!" Sirius shouted. There was a great cracking sound as Malfoy's spell rebounded off Sirius' Shield Charm, which reverberated over the collectively silent group. Following was a full five seconds of silence, but it might as well have been five minutes. Then, beginning at the back of the group, there came a barrage of sounds happening simultaneously. Sirius could not at first identify the rush of noise growing behind him, but when he saw the flashes of light all around him, he realized that every student was casting spells at the Slytherins at once. After a minute or two, the smoke cleared, and he could see three vaguely slug-shaped lumps where the Slytherins had stood.

"Allow me," said Frank Longbottom, having made his way to the front. "I always take care to clean up my messes. _Wingardium Leviosa_!" There was an extended squelch, followed by a suction sound as the hexed boys were forcibly parted from the ground. With a flick of his wand, Frank deposited them into the dust bins on the far side of the castle. The Gryffindor boys roared with laughter.

The atmosphere felt more relaxed as people settled in, conjuring sleeping bags or Summoning bedsheets from their respective dormitories. Someone started a bonfire, and they were very comfortable. James, Sirius, Peter and Remus were huddled up in their blankets eating candy and playing card games when Professor McGonagall emerged from the castle in her tartan robe.

"Attention!" she called and silence fell immediately. "I have an announcement. By order of the headmaster, for every class period missed, each student shall receive a detention." She raised her voice over the sounds of outrage from the crowd, "This means that everyone here has three detentions already. By the end of tomorrow, those who remain out here will have accrued an additional five detentions. We cannot make you come back inside, but these are the consequences." Without waiting for comment, she turned and left.

There was a great deal of murmuring following her statement. "Lily," said Sturgis Podmore, putting his hand on Lily's shoulder. "I'm sorry. Edgar and I must go back to the castle. We can't get any more detentions, and I've got OWL's starting in a week. I've got to go study."

"Sorry Lily," Edgar Bones muttered, and the two Hufflepuffs gathered their things and returned to the castle. Several fifth year Ravenclaws followed them, agreeing that their time needed to be spent studying for OWL's.

The departure of the fifth years caused a ripple of concern through the remaining students. "I can't miss my exams," said a third year Ravenclaw. "What if we're out here until then?"

"Three detentions already," said a pudgy Hufflepuff girl with her hands over her mouth. "I've never even had one!"

"By all means," said James loudly, his voice carrying over the crowd. "If you think detentions are more important than standing up for what's right, go ahead and leave now. This is a purposeful demonstration and you're treating it like some joke." His eyes lingered on the several students who were wearing television aerials on their heads. "This isn't some ploy for your personal popularity and it shouldn't be taken lightly. If you're here because you see this as a Hogwarts fad, then maybe you ought to rethink your priorities."

No one responded, although whether that was due to people heading James' words or the shock of being scolded by a twelve-year-old Sirius wasn't sure. Nevertheless, no one else decided to end their involvement in the protest.

Sirius wrapped his blankets more snugly around himself. As drowsiness began to set in, Sirius watched the more energetic students surrounding him. He drifted off as Mundungus Fletcher was applying Mrs. Skower's All Purpose Magic Mess Remover to his hair in an attempt to clean it, then frantically screaming that his scalp was burning.

He experienced a dreamless sleep, but woke up abruptly early in the morning to the sound of an argument.

"You cannot be on the premises. The headmaster is in London currently speaking to Minister Jenkins about this very subject. The Statute of Education states – "

"I know the laws perfectly well, thanks, Minerva. We are here on a protection basis only, which I think you will find is quite permissible under the Statute of Education."

Sirius squinted through the dim light of dawn at the figures crowded in the center of the courtyard. Professors McGonagall and Dawlish were standing between the sleeping students and a group of adults who Sirius guessed were from the Ministry of Magic, but whose specific departmental affiliation he could not identify.

"Your protection is not required, Mr. Crouch," McGonagall said. "They are perfectly safe here."

"These students are not breaking any laws, Crouch," Dawlish said. "This is a Hogwarts matter, not a Ministry matter."

"You have clearly been secluded here too long, Dawlish," Crouch said, not bothering to keep his voice low. "You're losing your touch if you don't know of recent events. Didn't you hear? A maniac Squib went rogue and attacked a group of pureblood bystanders on Monday. Tensions are high. My only wish is to keep the peace."

"Arriving unannounced with a squad of Hit Wizards is not a method of 'keeping the peace'. It will cause unease and sow distrust," Dawlish said. "And you know that. You're intentionally setting the stage for a riot so you can fabricate a story that favors purebloods."

"Unfounded accusations continue to be your downfall at the Ministry, Dawlish. I see you've learned nothing, Alastor Moody cannot lift you out of every hole you dig yourself into."

Sirius looked to his left and right and saw that his friends were awake as well, listening intently. Other students were also discretely paying attention to the conversation.

At that moment, another group of people entered the courtyard from inside the castle. In the increasing light, Sirius could see that they were students.

"This unruly mob has unlawfully cursed three upstanding purebloods!" said a voice Sirius recognized. "We demand action be taken! The Sacred Twenty-Eight are under attack!"

"That is a lie!" Lily shouted, leaping to her feet. "Lucius Malfoy was trying to curse us and we defended ourselves!"

"Just look at him!" the student in front said, and Sirius realized it was Avery. Standing beside him were the amorphous blobs of Malfoy, Lestrange and McTavish. Turning to Crouch, Avery said, "Do you really think three people would be so lacking in sense that they would attempt an unprovoked strike on thirty violent Muggle rights extremists?"

"That's bollocks!" shouted someone from behind Sirius.

"We didn't do nuffing!" said Mundungus Fletcher.

"Stop!" said Lily to all of the murmurers. "You are giving them what they want. They are feeding your agitation, hoping you'll prove them right!"

"Muggle loving scum!" roared a Slytherin from behind Avery.

"These uncontrollable anarchists are trying to push their ideas on us!" said Avery. "Muggles are a threat to our lives and they should be put down!"

A purple spell shot past Sirius' shoulder and hit Avery. He covered his face, but yellow goo spurted everywhere.

A dam burst and hexes began flying through the air. The professors were Disarming students near them and using Impediment Jinxes for those farther away. Lily was resolutely sitting on the ground, arms folded, wand in front of her. The boys were ducking and evading, but not throwing hexes. Crouch and the Hit Wizards were Stunning students without regard to whom they were hitting.

Sirius narrowly avoided a Stinging Hex, but tripped over Remus' shoe. He hit the ground just as Snape shot a spell at Peter, causing him to double over and begin vomiting.

Sirius roared and leapt to his feet, James at his side, hitting Snape with every hex they could think of. Remus crouched beside Peter to try to reverse the spell. James stood in front of them as a shield.

Sirius ran forward, mixing curse words with curses. In mid jump, he was struck in the chest with three identical red beams of light. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

"Ziggy Stardust", David Bowie


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

When Sirius awoke, it was in darkness, and he was surrounded by soft bedsheets. He tried to sit up, but the sensation that his chest was being crushed caused him to gasp aloud in pain.

"Sirius?" a voice called from his left. Sirius widened his eyes, trying to see, and felt around for his wand.

"Who's there?" he asked.

" _Lumos_ ," said the other, and Remus' face lit up. He was in the hospital bed adjacent to Sirius.

"What's going on?" Sirius asked quietly, using his arm to shield his eyes from the light. "What am I doing here? What are _you_ doing here?"

"You took three Stunners to the chest," Remus explained in a raspy voice. "You've been unconscious for four days. Madam Pomfrey said it wasn't safe to wake you up using magic. I'm glad you're alright."

"I feel like a troll sat on me," Sirius said flatly.

"Well you probably shouldn't try so hard to talk," Remus said with a smile.

"Why are you in here?" Sirius asked. "Did you get those cuts on your face from the riot?"

"No," Remus said quickly, lowering his wand and obscuring his face.

"Lovely, you're awake," Madam Pomfrey said, bustling in and adjusting Sirius' pillow. "Now lie still! You've got no business moving about right now." She used her wand to perform a few cursory tests on him. "I'll fetch your mother," she said as she finished. "She will want to know that you're awake."

"My mother?" Sirius said to no one, his stomach sinking. Did she know about his participation in the strike? He glanced at Remus, who had tucked his wand away, pulled his blankets up to his chin, and put one finger up to his lips.

The door to the hospital wing burst open. "Sirius!" Walburga cried, throwing her hands in the air and coming up to the side of his bed. "My boy," she said, wrapping her arms around him. Sirius winced; the pressure she was applying was not easing the pain in his chest. She released him from her hug and caressed his face. "Did the Mudbloods do this to you?" she asked.

"No Mum," Sirius said, leaning into her touch even as his ribs pressed sharply into his lungs. "It was the Hit Wizards."

Walburga froze in place. "Hit Wizards?" she asked slowly. He nodded.

As if on cue, Professor Dumbledore entered the hospital wing. "Ah, Mr. Black," he said. "Fortune smiles upon us, you are conscious."

"Dumbledore," his mother said in a voice that was suddenly icy cold. "Adult Hit Wizards with questionable blood status damaged my twelve-year-old son. This is unacceptable."

"Mrs. Black, I understand your concern," Dumbledore said calmly. "I have addressed this with the Magical Law Enforcement Squad and reminded them of the laws which state that they may not enter the premises without the headmaster's express permission. However, young Sirius took part in a Squib rights protest that became a hostile situation, and the Hit Wizards responded in the manner which they were trained."

"Is this true?" Walburga said to Sirius. He nodded. She snatched him by his hair and jerked her hand up so hard that she lifted his torso off the bed. Sirius cried out as pain exploded in his chest and black spots blurred his vision. "After everything that has happened this year, you still insist on being a filthy blood traitor," she said in a steady voice. "You are worthless." She flung his head back onto the pillow, turned with a swish of her cloak, and exited.

Ignoring Dumbledore, Sirius grasped the goblet of Sleeping Draught from his bedside table with a shaking hand and drained it. Breathing raggedly, he briefly caught Remus' eyes, wide with shock. Then a blissful calm came over him and he fell asleep.

It was daytime when he awoke to the presence of his friends, whose arms were laden with an assortment of candy.

"Sirius!" James shouted, eyes alight with genuine happiness, his volume earning a disparaging look from Pomfrey. He and Peter poured their horde of snacks over Sirius' legs. "Thought you were going to skip the rest of the year, eh?" he said, ruffling Sirius' hair.

"The semester hasn't ended yet?" Sirius said incredulously. "Why'd you wake me up?" Peter chucked a Chocolate Frog at him.

"You'll be lucky if you're well enough in time to take exams," Remus said. Sirius saw that the cuts on his face had been healed.

"Tell me what I missed," Sirius said, opening the Chocolate Frog.

"It was mad," said James. "Dumbledore showed up right after you were hit – and he was livid – he did a spell that froze everyone in place and started telling off Crouch for being on the property without permission. He said the situation had been under control before they showed up."

"He ordered Crouch and the Hit Wizards to leave, then he, McGonagall and Dawlish sent the injured to the hospital wing," Remus explained. "Madam Pomfrey had her hands full, but she was able to patch Peter right up."

"Snivellus, on the other hand, was another story," Peter said with a satisfied grin. "You and James hexed him so hard it took four Professors to undo it. He's still hopping on one foot."

"Dumbledore made a speech in the Great Hall and said that there would be no detentions for the events of the last few days," James continued. "But he warned that school is not a place for our politics, and that every person with magical abilities would always be accepted at Hogwarts."

"I don't see Marlene in here," Sirius said. "When did she get released?"

"Pomfrey let her out right before the riot broke out," Peter said. "She missed all the fun."

"What about you, Remus?" Sirius asked. "When did you leave?"

"What?" James said. "Remus wasn't in the hospital. He visited his mother, didn't you, Remus?"

Remus stared at the floor. "I didn't visit my mother. I wasn't feeling well, so I came by here, but then I felt better this morning, so I left," he said very quickly.

"What about the cuts on your face?" Sirius pressed. "You didn't explain how you got them."

"Cuts?" James said. "What is going on with you, Remus?"

"V-Venomous Tentacula," Remus sputtered. "I was doing extra credit for Professor Sprout and the Tentacula took a swipe at me."

Sirius cocked an eyebrow. "So you went to the hospital wing because you simultaneously felt ill and were attacked by the Venomous Tentacula," he said.

"Even though you told Peter and I you were visiting your mother," James finished.

"I can't see any flaws in that story," Sirius said.

"I've got to go," Remus said, flushing. "Forgot something – library." Before anyone else could speak, he dashed out of the hospital wing.

James let out a puff of breath and drummed his fingers on the bedside table. "Do you reckon he's hiding something?"

Sirius was released from the hospital wing just in time for end of term exams. He hadn't studied much, but he wasn't worried. He'd probably fail History of Magic, but what did he need that for, anyway?

Even so, exam week passed in a haze, and in the blink of an eye, they were receiving their grades for the year. Sure enough, James had easily bested him in Transfiguration, but Sirius was at the top of the class in Charms. He and Remus tied scores in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and all four of them had only barely managed to pass Potions.

The boys spent their free time flying on the school brooms and tossing around the Quaffle when they could access it. Sirius at last beat Peter in chess, although the match was extremely close to a stalemate, and he won the game with only two pawns, his king, and a castle.

Sirius was having so much fun he forgot to dread the return home. It hit him when they were suddenly at the end of term feast and he couldn't remember where the time had gone. He dropped the custard he was eating and stood up. He crossed the hall and found Andromeda in her graduation robes.

"Good work on graduating," he said. "Heard you did well on your N.E.W.T.s."

"Good work on pissing off your mother right before you go home," Andromeda said. "That should keep things interesting for you for a couple months."

"I don't want to go home," he admitted. "I'm sorry I was such a berk to you. It was nice knowing you were here if I needed you."

"Nice having a Slytherin on your side, you mean," she said, grinning. "I hear my House isn't too fond of you and your friends these days."

"You know as well as I do that I'm better at pissing people off than making friends," Sirius said with a grim smile.

"You know you'll still see me at Grimmauld Place," Andromeda said. "I'm not going anywhere, so buck up. Things will be okay. You'll be back here in two months."

"Yeah, alright," Sirius said. "Good luck!" He returned to Gryffindor table.

"It's only two months, mate," James said, eying the look on Sirius' face.

Sirius had been watching Hogwarts disappear through the window of the train. "Two months is a long time," he said.

"Well you're all coming to my place for at least a week," James insisted. "We've got a huge backyard that will be perfect for playing Quidditch."

"I might be able to convince my parents to let everyone come over for a day or two," Remus said with a half-smile.

"And meet your mother?" Sirius said. "I would never miss an opportunity like that!"

"Do you fancy Remus' mum?" Peter asked slyly.

"She is a beautiful Muggle woman," Sirius said with a dreamy look on his face, earning a swat from Remus. He stood up. "Speaking of beautiful women, I have a favor to ask. I'll be back in a tick."

He found the compartment with the Gryffindor girls. Mary and Alexis were sharing a magazine, Lily was reading a book, and Emmaline and Marlene were playing Gobstones.

"Which one of you lovely ladies knows how to cut hair?" he asked.

"Oh Sirius," Alexis said. "Why do you want to cut your hair? All the girls like it long, you know." She giggled.

"Nevertheless, I prefer there to be less to hold on to," Sirius said.

"I can be of assistance," Lily said, smiling. She gestured to the bench beside her. "Sit."

Ten minutes later, Sirius returned to the compartment of his friends and lounged on the seat, propping his feet on the wall. "So you keep going on about your mother's baking abilities," he said to James. "At this point, I expect that there will be muffins and bundt cakes waiting for us upon our arrival. Honestly, I will be severely disappointed if I walk through the door and a custard isn't immediately spooned directly into my mouth."

"You have no idea," James said. "Your pathetic taste buds aren't prepared for the sort of delicacies my mum can create. I guarantee you will fall over dead the first time you encounter a morsel of her creation."

"She created you, and we've survived so far," said Remus.

Sirius and Peter laughed, and James flicked a Cauldron Cake at Remus' head.

"So we'll meet back at this same compartment when summer's over, yeah?" asked Peter as the train began to slow down.

"Course we will," James said. "This is our compartment now."

"Lucky I carved my initials in the seat then," said Sirius, indicating the letters SAB freshly chipped into the wooden panel.

"You rapscallion," said James.

"Sirius, people will know that was you!" said Remus.

"And they'll know this is my territory," Sirius said. "C'mon, Remus, are you afraid McGonagall will show up to my house in the middle of summer and make me do lines? Plus, playing with knives is fun." He punctuated his sentence with his knife as he spoke.

Remus rolled his eyes. "Well I can't wait for another year of this," he said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. The boys began gathering their things and exiting the train.

James grabbed Sirius' arm. "Wait," he said. "I've got something for you." He rummaged through his trunk and handed something small and square to Sirius. "It's a two-way mirror," he explained. "This way we can talk to each other over the summer."

"This is brilliant," Sirius said, smiling. He slung his arm around James' shoulder as they exited the train. "Once more into the breach," he said.


End file.
